ESI 

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LIBRARY  OF  THE  THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY 


PRINCETON.  N.  J. , 


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SMITHSONIAN  INSTITUTION 
BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOG^^y 

BULLETIN  80 


FEB  is  1924 


MANDAN  AND  HIDATSA  MUSIC 


BY 

FRANCES  DENSMORE 


WASHINGTON 

government  printing  office 


ADDITIONAL  COPIES 

OF  THIS  PUBLICATION  MAY  BE  PROCURED  FROM 
THE  SUPERINTENDENT  OF  DOCUMENTS 
GOVERNMENT  PRINTING  OFFICE 
WASHINGTON,  D.  C, 

AT 

60  CENTS  PER  COPY 

PURCHASER  AGREES  NOT  TO  RESELL  OR  DISTRIBUTE  THIS 
COPY  FOR  PROFIT. — PUB.  RES.  57,  APPROVED  MAY  11,  1922 


LETTEK  OF  TRANSMITTAL 


Smithsonian  Institution, 

Bureau  of  American  Ethnology, 
ashing  ton  ^  D.  December  15^  1918. 

Sir:  I  have  the  honor  to  submit  herewith  the  accompanying 
manuscript,  entitled  “  Mandan  and  Hidatsa  Music,”  by  Frances  Dens- 
more,  and  to  recommend  its  publication  as  a  bulletin  of  the  Bureau  of 
American  Ethnology. 

Very  respectfully, 

J.  Walter  Fewkes, 

Chief. 

Dr.  Charles  D.  Walcott, 

Secretofry  of  the  Smithsonian  Institution. 


Ill 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2019  with  funding  from 
Princeton  Theological  Seminary  Library 


https://archive.org/details/mandanhidatsamusOOdens 


FOEEWORD 


A  phase  of  Indian  life  hitherto  untouched  by  the  present  writer 
is  shown  in  this  work.  The  Mandan  and  Hidatsa  lived  in  houses 
which  were  grouped  in  permanent  villages,  their  environment  differ¬ 
ing  essentially  from  that  of  the  Chippewa  and  Sioux  in  their  camps 
or  the  Ute  in  the  fastnesses  of  the  mountains.  The  music  of  the 
latter  tribes  has  been  analyzed  in  previous  works, ^  and  a  comparative 
statement  of  results  is  presented  in  this  volume. 

The  songs  of  the  Mandan  and  Hidatsa  were  recorded  on  the  Fort 
Berthold  Reservation  in  North  Dakota  during  the  summers  of  1912 
and  1915,  an  additional  trip  being  made  in  1918  to  complete  the 
material.  This  research  was  suggested  by  Dr.  O.  J.  Libby,  secre¬ 
tary  of  the  State  Historical  Society  of  North  Dakota,  and  the 
first  season’s  work  was  under  the  auspices  of  that  society.  The 
subsequent  work  was  under  the  auspices  of  the  Bureau  of  American 
Ethnology. 

The  writer  desires  to  acknowledge  the  valued  assistance  of  her 
two  principal  interpreters,  Mr.  James  Holding  Eagle,  a  member  of 
the  Mandan  tribe,  who  interpreted  and  translated  that  language, 
and  Mr.  Fred  Huber,  who  interpreted  and  translated  the  Hidatsa. 
Mr.  Holding  Eagle  was  born  in  1884,  received  his  early  education 
at  the  Fort  Berthold  Mission  of  the  Congregational  Church,  and 
graduated  from  the  Santee  Normal  Training  School  at  Santee,  Nebr. 
He  is  now  engaged  in  missionary  work  among  his  people  on  the  Fort 
Berthold  Reservation.  Mr.  Huber  went  to  Fort  Berthold  as  a 
musician  with  the  United  States  Army,  and  for  more  than  30  years 
spent  the  majority  of  his  time  among  the  Hidatsa.  He  died  before 
the  completion  of  the  present  work. 

Grateful  acknowledgment  is  made  of  the  assistance  rendered  by 
officials  of  the  North  Dakota  Historical  Society,  also  of  the  courtesy 
extended  by  Dr.  C.  L.  Hall,  who  for  more  than  40  years  has  been 
a  missionary  of  the  Congregational  Church  on  the  reservation. 
The  writer  desires  also  to  express  her  appreciation  of  the  assistance 
cordially  given  by  members  of  the  staff  of  the  Bureau  of  American 
Ethnology  and  the  United  States  National  Museum  in  their  re¬ 
spective  fields  of  research. 

Frances  Densmorel 

^  Chippewa  Music,  Bull.  45  ;  Chippewa  Music  II,  Bull.  53  ;  Teton  Sioux  Music,  Bull.  61 ; 
and  Northern  Ute  Music,  Bull.  75,  Bur,  Amer.  Ethn. 


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CONTENTS 


Page. 

List  of  songs  by  serial  numbers -  xi 

List  of  songs  by  catalogue  numbers -  xiv 

Special  signs  used  in  transcription  of  songs -  xvi 

Phonetic  key -  xvii 

Names  of  singers -  xvii 

Informants  who  did  not  record  songs -  xviii 

Proper  names  and  other  native  terms -  xix 

Characterization  of  singers - 1 

Mandan _ 1 

Hidatsa _  2 

Mandan  and  Hidatsa  Indians -  3 

Name _  3 

History  and  characteristics -  3 

Dwellings  and  villages -  4 

Pottery - 5 

Burial  customs _  6 

Language -  6 

Mythology - — -  6 

Music _  7 

Musical  instruments _  8 

Drums _ 8 

Rattles _  8 

War  whistles _  9 

Courting  whistles _  9 

Flageolets _  10 

Dealings  with  the  United  States  Government _  11 

Mandan  and  Hidatsa  music _  12 

Introduction _  12 

Tabulated  analyses  of  820  Chippewa,  Sioux,  Ute,  Mandan,  and 

Hidatsa  songs _  16 

Analysis  of  Chippewa,  Sioux,  Ute,  Mandan,  and  Hidatsa  songs _  26 

Comparative  group  analyses  of  Mandan  and  Hidatsa  songs^ _  32 

Graphic  representation  or  “  plots  ” _  34 

Section  1.  Mandan 

Good  Fur  Robe _  35 

The  office  of  Corn  Priest _  36 

The  instructions  of  Good  Fur  Robe _  38 


VII 


VIII 


CONTENTS 


Page. 

Societies  organized  by  Good  Fur  Robe -  39 

The  Goose  Women  Society _  39 

Ceremony  and  meeting  of  the  Goose  Women  Society -  40 

The  Black  Mouth  Society _ _ _  47 

Meeting  of  the  Black  Mouth  Society _  48 

Customs _  52 

Singing  in  the  gardens -  52 

Eagle  catching _  60 

Origin  of  the  custom  of  eagle  catching _  64 

Legends _  80 

Origin  of  the  flageolet _  80 

Origin  of  the  Buffalo  Dance  Society _  84 

The  moon  and  the  dancers _  86 

The  black-tailed  deer _  87 

Folk  tales _  89 

The  turtle  who  went  to  war _  89 

The  man  who  married  the  birds _  90 

The  coyote  and  the  skunk _  92 

Section  2.  Mandan  and  Hidatsa 

Mandan  women’s  societies _ 94 

Skunk  Society _  94 

Enemy  Society _  95 

Little  River  Women  Society _  97 

Origin  of  the  Little  River  Women  Society _  97 

Ceremony  of  the  Little  River  Women  Society _  99 

Mandan  and  Hidatsa  men’s  societies _  108 

Drums,  rattles,  and  whistles  used  in  the  societies _  112 

Songs  of  the  societies _  112 

Stone  Hammer  Society  of  the  Hidatsa _ 113 

Stone  Hammer  Society  wand _  115 

Stone  Hammer  Society  songs _  116 

Fox  Society  songs _ _ —  121 

Young  Dog  Society  song _  129 

Foolish  (or  Crazy)  Dog  Society  songs _  129 

Dog  Society  songs _  133 

Buffalo  Society  songs _  138 

Horse  Society  songs _ 143 

War  songs _  144 

Miscellaneous  songs _  170 

Melodic  and  rhythmic  analysis  of  songs  by  serial  numbers _  178 

Authorities  cited _  185 

Index _  187 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


PLATES 

Page. 

1.  Old  Dog _  2 

2.  a,  James  Holding  Eagle.  &,  Scattered  Corn _  2 

3.  a,  Crow’s  Heart’s  earth  lodge.  &,  Old  Dog’s  log  lodge _  2 

4.  a,  Entrance  to  earth  lodge.  &,  Entrance  to  earth  lodge,  showing  scaf¬ 

fold  for  drying  corn _  2 

5.  a,  Frame  of  sweat  lodge,  h,  Corn-drying  scaffold _ 2 

6.  a,  Missouri  River  at  Crow's  Heart’s  landing,  h,  Missouri  River, 

looking  west - ^ -  2 

7.  Dried  squash _ ^ _  6 

8.  a,  Camp  on  Fort  Berthold  Reservation.  &,  Scaffold  burial  on  Fort 

Berthold  Reservation _  6 

9.  Hand  drum,  a,  obverse;  &,  reverse,  c.  Foolish  Dog  Society  rattle. 

d,  “  Mushroom  ”  rattle _  10 

10.  a,  Pan  playing  on  whistle.  &,  Whistle  and  Dog  Society  rattle _  10 

11.  Plots  of  Mandan  and  Hidatsa  songs _  34 

12.  Plots  of  Mandan  and  Hidatsa  songs _  34 

13.  a,  Goose  Women  Society  drum.  1),  Drumming  stick  used  with  Goose 

Women  Society  drum _  40 

14.  a,  Otter  Woman,  h,  Bear-on-the-flat.  c,  Pan _  40 

15.  a,  Yellow  Hair.  &,  Sitting  Rabbit,  c.  Butterfly _  62 

16.  a,  Bone  used  for  fastening  bait  in  eagle  catching,  b,  g,  “  Kick-ball  ”  62 

17.  a,  Eagle  trap  (fllled-by  vegetation  in  foreground),  b,  View  from 

eagle  trap _  62 

18.  a,  Sitting  Crow,  b,  Holding  Eagle _  62 

19.  a,  Headdress  worn  in  Buffalo  Society.  &,  Stone  Hammer  Society 

wand  and  Foolish  Dog  Society  rattle,  c,  Head  of  Stone  Hammer 
Society  wand _ ♦ _  112 

TEXT  FIGUEES 

1.  Whistle  melody _  10 

2.  Plots  of  Sioux  songs  compared  with  Mandan  and  Hidatsa  songs _  34 

3.  Diagram  showing  movements  of  men  in  ceremony  of  Black  Mouth 

Society _  48 

4.  Flageolet  melody _ 83 

5.  Plot  of  song  No.  72 _ 141 

6.  Plot  of  song  No.  92 _  161 


IX 


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LIST  OF  SONGS 


1.  Arranged  in  Order  or  Serial  Numbers 


Songs  of  the  Goose  Women  Society 

Serial  No.  Catalogue  No.  Page. 

1.  The  Captive  song _  808  42 

2.  Song  of  the  Goose  Women  Society  (a) _  809  43 

3.  “  My  daughter  ” _  810  44 

4.  Song  of  the  Corn  Priest _  812  45 

5.  Song  of  the  Goose  Women  Society  (b) _  811  46 

Songs  of  the  Black  Mouth  Society 

6.  Song  to  the  raven -  861  49 

7.  “  Earth  always  endures  ” _  859  50 

8.  “  Enemies  are  many  ” _  860  50 

9.  Going  to  dance _  903  51 

10.  Black  Mouth  Society  song _  869  52 

Garden  Songs 

11.  “Kill  the  blackbirds” _  877  54 

12.  “  The  corn  is  my  pleasure  ” _  813  54 

13.  “I  am  alone  ” -  814  55 

14.  “  My  lover  is  dead  ” _  875  56 

15.  “  My  heart  aches  every  day  ” _  878  57 

16.  “  This  is  her  village  ” -  874  58 

17.  Song  to  the  corn _  876  59 

18.  “  The  first  wife  laughs  ” _  906  60 

Songs  Connected  With  Eagle  Catching 

19.  Song  of  the  buffalo _  821  70 

20.  Song  of  the  black  eagle _  822  71 

21.  Song  of  the  coyote  (a) _ : -  823  72 

22.  Song  of  the  snake _ : _  824  73 

23.  Song  when  making  the  brush  shelter _  825  74 

24.  Song  when  making  the  sweat  lodge _  826  75 

25.  Song  when  making  the  eagle  trap -  827  76 

26.  Song  when  preparing  the  bait -  828  77 

27.  Song  of  the  little  wolverine -  829  77 

28.  Song  of  the  goose - 830  78 

29.  Song  of  the  swan _  831  79 

30.  Song  concerning  the  twine -  832  80 


XI 


XII 


LIST  OF  SONGS 


Songs  Connected  With  Legends  and  Folk-Tales 

Serial  No.  Catalogue  No.  Page. 

31.  Song  of  the  leader  of  the  herd _  838  86 

32.  Song  of  the  moon _  842  87 

33.  Song  of  the  deer _ 837  88 

34.  Song  of  the  turtle  who  went  to  war -  893  90 

35.  Song  of  the  man  who  married  the  birds _ 894  92 

36.  Dancing  song  of  the  skunk _  820  93 

Songs  of  AVomen’s  Societies  (Mandan) 

37.  “  He  never  will  return  ” _  807  95 

38.  “  He  stared  at  me  ” _ 819  96 

39.  Song  of  the  spirit  women _  800  101 

40.  “  The  Missouri  women  ” _  801  103 

4L  Song  of  the  bear -  802  104 

Song  of  the  shell _  803  105 

Song  of  the  coyote  (b) _  804  106 

Dancing  song  of  the  Little  River  Women  Society _  805  106 

Song  of  the  Little  River  Women  Society  (a) _  872  107 

Song  of  the  Little  River  Women  Society  (b) _  873  107 

Songs  of  the  Stone  Hammer  Society  (Hidatsa) 

^47.  “  I  desire  to  take  you  with  me  ” _  884  117 

4’8.  “  Let  us  go” _  885  118 

49.  “  Run  away  ” _  886  119 

'>G 

Id  Songs  or  Men’s  Societies  (Mandan  and  Hidatsa) 

2d 

fox  society 

50.  “  I  want  to  live  ” _ ‘ _  887  120 

51.  “Need  I  be  afraid?” _  899  121 

52.  Fox  Society  war  song  (a) _  895  122 

53.  Fox  Society  funeral  song _  890  123 

54.  Fox  Society  war  song  (b) _  850  124 

55.  Fox  Society  serenade _  871  125 

56.  Fox  Society  song _ ; _  867  126 

57.  Fox  Society  love  song _  868  126 

00 

YOUNG  DOG  SOCIETY 

58.  “Wake  up” _  835  127 

59.  “Why  did  you  sleep?” _  836  128 

i^O.  Young  Dog  Society  serenade _  870  129 

IT 

2T  FOOLISH  DOG  SOCIETY 

Qi.  “You  did  it” _ 843  130 

62.  Foolish  Dog  Society  serenade _  844  130 

68.  “  I  cannot  sleep  ” _ 905  131 

64.  “  It  is  my  own  fault  ” _  909  132 

i ) 

77  DOG  SOCIETY 

6.5.  “If  I  go  ” _ 852  134 

66.  Dog  Society  serenade  (a) _  853  135 

67.  Dog  Society  serenade  (b) _  857  136 

68.  “  The  enemy  are  like  women  ” _  863  137 


LIST  OF  SONGS 


xlii 


BUFFALO  SOCIETY 


Serial  No.  Catalogue  No.  Page. 

69.  Buffalo  Society  song  (a) _  854  .  138 

70.  Buffalo  Society  song  (b) -  855  Ipi) 

71.  Buffalo  Society  song  (c) _  856  140 

72.  Buffalo  Society  dancing  song -  849  141 

73.  Buffalo  Society  serenade  (a) -  845  142 

74.  Buffalo  Society  serenade  (b) -  904  1^2 

HORSE  SOCIETY 

75.  Horse  Society  song  (a) _  833  143 

76.  Horse  Society  song  (b) -  834  1^ 

-j 


WAR  SONGS 

77.  Song  when  organizing  a  war  party _ 

78.  “Young  wolves',  do  your  best” _ 

79.  Old  war  song _ 

80.  War  medicine  song _ 

81.  “  I  will  bring  the  wind  ” _ 

82.  “  Take  me  to  the  Sioux  ” _ 

83.  “I  will  go” _ 

84.  “  Comrades,  sleep  on  ” _ 

85.  “  She  walks  alone  ” _ 

86.  Song  to  renew  a  warrior’s  strength _ 

87.  Woman’s  scalp  dance  song _ ! 

88.  Butterfly’s  war  song _ 

89.  Song  in  praise  of  generosity _ 

90.  Victory  song _ 

91.  Song  of  triumph _ 

92.  “  He  holds  a  knife  in  his  hand  ” _ 

93.  “  The  enemy  came  as  a  wolf  ” _ 

94.  “  I  killed  three  ” _ 

95.  “  Disguised  as  a  buffalo  ” _ 

96.  “  I  will  pursue  him  ” _ 

97.  “  The  hated  enemy  ” _ : _ 

98.  “  The  Sioux  come  ” _ 

99.  “What  was  it  you  struck?” _ 

100.  “  I  do  not  fear  ” _ _ _ _ 

101.  “  You  are  foolish  ” _ 

102.  War  song _ 

I 

Miscellaneous  Songs 


888 

146 

865 

147 

896 

148 

891 

149 

846 

IpO 

848 

151 

907 

152 

880 

864 

154 

858 

155 

902 

155 

897 

156 

881 

157 

806 

158 

815 

159 

816 

150 

817 

161 

818 

163 

847 

164 

851 

165 

866 

166 

882 

167 

862 

168 

879 

168 

908 

169 

889 

170 

103.  “  Whose  track  is  it?  ” _ 

104.  Song  to  a  little  child _ 

105.  Song  of  an  elk  dream _ 

106.  “  We  made  fire  ” _ 

107.  Song  of  derision _ , _ 

108.  “  The  kettle  is  burning  ” _ 

109.  “  The  youngest  wife  of  the  chief  ” 

110.  Song  on  the  roof  of  the  lodge - 


982  171 

901  172 

883  173 

898  174 

839  1,75 

840  176 

841  177 

900  178 


^aia- 

ogue 

No. 

800 

801 

802 

803 

804 

805 

806 

807 

808 

809 

810 

811 

812 

813 

814 

815 

816 

817 

818 

819 

820 

821 

822 

823 

824 

825 

826 

827 

828 

829 

830 

831 

832 

833 

834 

835 

836 

837 

838 


101 

103 

104 

105 

106 

106 

158 

95 

42 

43 

44 

46 

45 

54 

55 

159 

160 

161 

163 

96 

93 

70 

71 

72 

73 

74 

75 

76 

77 

77 

78 

79 

80 

143 

144 

127 

128 

88 

86 


LIST  OF  SONGS 


2.  Arranged  in  Order  of  Catalogue  Numbers 


Title  of  song 


Song  of  the  spirit  women . 


Song  of  the  deer . 

Song  of  the  leader  of  the  herd . 


“The  Missouri  women” . 

. do . 

Song  of  the  bear . 

. do . 

Song  of  the  shell . 

. do . 

Song  of  the  coyote  (b) . 

. do . 

Dancing  song  of  the  Little  River  Women 
Society. 

Victory  song . 

. do . 

. do . 

“ He  never  will  return” . 

. do . 

The  captive  song . 

. do . 

Song  of  the  Goose  Women  Society  (a) . 

. do . 

“My  daughter” . 

. do . 

Song  of  the  Goose  Women  Society  (b) . 

. do . 

Song  of  the  Corn  Priest . 

. do . 

“The  corn  is  my  pleasure” . 

. do . 

“ I  am  alone” . 

. do . 

Song  of  triumph . 

. do . 

“  He  holds  a  knife  in  his  hand  ” . 

. do . 

“The  enemy  came  as  a  wolf” . 

. do . 

“I  killed  three” . 

. do . 

“He  stared  at  me” . 

. do . 

Dancing  song  of  the  skunk . 

. do . 

Song  of  the  buffalo . 

Ben  Benson . 

Song  of  the  black  eagle . 

. do . 

Song  of  the  coyote  (a) . 

. do . 

Song  of  the  snake . 

. do . 

Song  when  making  the  brush  shelter . 

. do . 

Song  when  making  the  sweat  lodge . 

. do . 

Song  when  making  the  eagle  trap . 

. do . 

Song  when  preparing  the  bait . 

. do . 

Song  of  the  little  wolverine . 

. do . 

Song  of  the  goose . 

. do . 

Song  of  the  swan . 

. do . 

Song  concerning  the  twine . 

. do . 

Horse  Society  song  (a) . 

. do . 

Horse  Society  song  (b) . 

. do . 

“Wake  up” . 

“Why  did  you  sleep?” . 

. do . 

Name  of  singer 


Scattered  Corn. 


Bear-on-the-flat . 
- do . 


aia- 

)gue 

SJo. 

839 

840 

841 

842 

843 

844 

845 

846 

847 

848 

849 

850 

851 

852 

853 

854 

855 

856 

857 

858 

859 

860 

861 

862 

863 

864 

865 

866 

867 

868 

869 

870 

871 

872 

873 

874 

875 

876 

877 

878 

879 

880 


ige 

175 

176 

177 

87 

130 

130 

142 

150 

164 

151 

141 

124 

165 

134 

135 

138 

139 

140 

136 

155 

50 

50 

49 

168 

137 

154 

147 

166 

126 

126 

52 

129 

125 

107 

107 

58 

56 

59 

54 

57 


LIST  OF  SONGS 


Title  of  song 

Name  of  singer 

Song  of  derision . 

Bear-on-the-flat . . . 

. do . 

“The  kettle  is  burning” . 

“The  youngest  wife  of  the  chief” . 

. do . 

Song  of  the  moon . 

. do . 

“You  did  it” . 

. do . 

Foolish  Dog  Society  serenade . 

. do . 

Buffalo  Society  serenade  (a) . 

. do . 

“  I  will  brinff  the  wind  ” . 

. do . 

“Disguised  as  a  buffalo” . 

. do . 

“Take  me  to  the  Sioux” . 

. do . 

Buffalo  Society  dancing  song . 

. do . 

Fox  Society  war  song  (b) . 

Holding  Eagle . 

“I  will  pursue  him” . 

. do . 

“If  I  go” . 

. do . 

Dog  Society  serenade  (a) . 

. do . 

Buffalo  Society  song  (a) . 

. do . 

Buffalo  Society  song  (b) . 

. do . 

Buffalo  Society  song  (c) . 

. do . 

Dog  Society  serenade  (b) . . 

. do . 

Song  to  renew  a  warrior’s  strength . 

. do . 

“  Earth  always  endures” . 

W ounded  Face .... 

. do . 

“  Enemies  are  many” . 

Song  to  the  raven . 

. do . 

“  What  was  it  you  struck?” . 

Crow’s  Heart . 

“The  enemy  are  like  women” . 

Wounded  Face. . . . 

. do . 

“ She  walks  alone” . 

“Young  wolves,  do  your  best” . 

. do . 

“The  hated  enemy” . 

. do . 

Fox  Society  song . 

Sitting  Rabbit.  .  . . 
. do . 

Fox  Society  love  song . 

Black  Mouth  Society  song . 

. do . 

Young  Dog  Society  serenade . 

. do . 

Fox  Society  serenade . 

. do . 

Song  of  the  Little  River  Women  Society  (a) . 

. do . 

Song  of  the  Little  River  Women  Society  (b). 

. do . 

“  This  is  her  village” . 

Otter  Woman . 

“  My  lover  is  dead  ” . 

. do . 

Song  to  the  corn . 

. do . 

“Kill  the  blackbirds” . 

. do . 

“My  heart  aches  every  day” . 

. do . 

“  I  do  not  fear” . 

Crow’s  Heart . 

“Comrades,  sleep  on” . 

. do . 

XVI 


LIST  OF  SONGS 


Cata¬ 

logue 

No. 


at l881 
ov;882 
VT1883 
V8  884 
081885 
0<:  ^886 
S41887 
05 '888 
^0^889 
^"4890 

I  ^{891 
1.S;!892 
501893 
ir.  ;894 
58  895 
88]896 
08:897 
0j[i  <898 
08*899 
55:900 
05  901 
05  902 
0^  903 
80004 
V8i905 
151 
906 

00  907 
02  908 
OS  909 
25 - 


Title  of  song 

Name  of  singer 

Song  in  praise  of  generosity . 

Crow’s  Heart . 

‘^The  Sioux  come” . 

. do . 

Song  of  an  elk  dream . 

. do . 

‘‘ I  desire  to  take  you  with  me” . 

Pan . 

Let  us  go” . 

. do . 

“ Run  away” . 

. do . 

want  to  live” . 

. do . 

Song  when  organizing  a  war  party . 

Old  Dog . 

War  song . 

. do . 

Fox  Society  funeral  song . 

. do . 

War  medicine  song . 

. do . 

Whose  track  is  it?  ” . 

Wolf  Head . 

Song  of  the  turtle  who  went  to  war . 

. do . 

Song  of  the  man  who  married  the  birds .  . . 

. do . 

Fox  Society  war  song  (a) . 

. do . 

Old  war  song . 

Butterfly . 

Butterfly’s  war  song . 

. do . 

“We  made  fire” . 

. do . 

“Need  I  be  afraid?” . 

Good  Bear . 

Song  on  the  roof  of  the  lodge . 

. do . 

Song  to  a  little  child . 

Leading  One . 

Woman’s  scalp  dance  song . 

. do . 

Going  to  dance . 

Little  Crow . 

Buffalo  Society  serenade  (b) . 

. do . 

“I  can  not  sleep” . 

Little  Crow  and 

wife. 

Yellow  Hair . 

“The  first  wife  laughs” . 

“ I  will  go” . 

Wolf  Ghost . 

“You  are  foolish” . 

Harry  Eaton . 

“  It  is  mv  own  fault” . 

James  Driver . 

Serial 

No. 

Page 

89 

157 

98 

167 

105 

173 

47 

117 

48 

118 

49 

119 

50 

120 

77 

146 

102 

170 

53 

123 

80 

149 

103 

171 

34 

90 

35 

92 

52 

122 

79 

148 

88 

156 

106 

174 

51 

121 

110 

178 

104 

172 

87 

155 

9 

51 

74 

142 

63 

131 

18 

60 

83 

152 

101 

169 

64 

132 

SPECIAL  SIGNS  USED  IN  TRANSCKIPTIONS  OF  SONGS 

5sr 

VOlThese  signs  are  intended  simply  as  aids  to  the  student  in  becom¬ 
ing  acquainted  with  the  songs.  They  should  be  understood  as  supple¬ 
mentary  to  the  descriptive  analysis  rather  than  a  part  of  the  musical 
igotation. 

05  +  placed  above  a  note  shows  that  the  tone  was  sung  slightly  higher 
than  the  indicated  pitch.  In  many  instances  the  tones  designated 
by  this  and  the  following  sign  were  “  unfocused  tones,  ”  or  were 
tones  whose  intonation  varied  in  the  several  renditions  of  the  sons:. 

O 


NAMES  OF  SINGERS 


XVII 


The  intonation  of  these  tones  was  not  such  as  to  suggest  the  inten¬ 
tional  use  of  fractional  intervals  ”  by  the  sin'ger. 

—  placed  above  a  note  shows  that  the  tone  was  sung  slightly 
lower  than  the  indicated  pitch. 

(  placed  above  a  note  shows  that  the  tone  was  prolonged  slightly 
beyond  the  indicated  time.  This  and  the  following  sign  are  used 
only  when  the  deviation  from  strict  time  is  less  than  half  the  time 
unit  of  the  song  and  appears  to  be  unimportant.  In  many  instances 
the  duration  of  the  tones  thus  marked  is  variable  in  the  several 
renditions  of  the  song. 

)  placed  above  a  note  shows  that  the  tone  was  given  slightly  less 
than  the  indicated  time. 

I  I  placed  above  a  series  of  notes  indicates  that  these  tones 

constitute  a  rhythmic  unit.  (See  footnote  to  Table  19.) 

PHONETIC  KEY 

Vowels  have  the  Continental  pronunciation — 
a  as  in  father 
i  as  in  marine 
i  as  in  writ 
e  as  in  they 
e  as  in  net 
o  as  in  note 
u  as  in  rule 
u  as  in  but 

Consonants  have  the  usual  sounds  except — 
s  is  pronounced  sh 

h  represents  a  strong  guttural  resembling  the  Arabic  ghain. 
g  represents  a  deep  sonant  guttural  resembling  the  Arabic 
kha. 

NAMES  OF  SINGERS 

It  should  be  understood,  in  connection  with  the  following  lists, 
that  Mandan  is  practically  an  unwritten  language  and  that  Hidatsa 
varies  as  spoken  by  different  individuals;  words  belonging  to  one 
tribe  are  also  used  by  the  other  tribe  to  some  extent.  The  Mandan 
words  and  terms  herewith  presented  were  written  by  James  Holding 
Eagle  (pi.  2,  a) ,  the  son  of  one  of  the  few  remaining  full-blood  Man- 
dans.  He  is  the  only  Mandan  who  can  write  his  own  language  to 
any  extent  and  probably  speaks  it  more  correctly  than  anyone  else 
who  can  understand  English.  It  was  the  language  of  his  home 
when  he  was  a  child  and  he  learned  at  that  time  what  is  known  as  the 
“  old  Mandan.”  The  spelling  of  the  Hidatsa  words  is  that  given  by 
Mr.  Fred  Huber,  the  writer’s  principal  Hidatsa  interpreter.  Work 
2118°— 23 - 2 


XVIII 


INFORMANTS  WHO  DID  NOT  RECORD  SONGS 


by  interpreters  employed  in  1912  was  revised  by  Mr.  Huber  in  1915 
in  order  to  secure  uniformity,  especially  in  the  use  of  the  letters  r, 
Z,  and  n.  Mr.  Huber  died  March  13,  1918,  and  a  limited  number  of 
words  were  supplied  by  other  interpreters  in  the  summer  of  that  year. 

MANDAN 


Common  name 

Mandan  name 

Translation 

Num¬ 
ber  of 
songs 

Mrs.  Holding  Eagle . 

Wo^pite . 

Scattered  Corn . 

21 

Ben  Benson . 

Maro'^hpa . 

Buffalo  Bull  Head . 

16 

Flat  Bear . 

Ob^Mta^mato . 

Bear  on  the  Flat . 

13 

Wounded  Face^ . 

Paii^ . 

Wounded  Face . 

7 

Mrs.  Little  Crow  ^* . 

Be^htake . 

Otter  Woman . 

5 

Crow’s  Heart . 

Ke^kanaYka . 

Crow’s  Heart . 

6 

Sitting  Rabbit . 

Ma^htikikana^ka . 

Sitting  Rabbit . 

7 

Little  Crow  ^ . 

Ke^kaha^mahe . 

Little  Crow . 

2 

Wolf  Head  ^ . 

HaYetu^pa . 

Wolf  Head . 

4 

Wolf  Ghost . 

Ha''retunu''liige . 

Wolf  Ghost . 

1 

HIDATSA 

Holding  Eagle  ^ . 

Ma^isuiak  Yis . 

Holding  Eagle . 

9 

Old  Dog . 

Ma'^sukati'^as . 

Old  Dog . 

4 

Butterfly  ® . 

Apaii'^gus . 

White  Clay  Nose . 

3 

Pan  ^ . 

Matsi^  wirus . 

Pine  Wood . 

4 

Good  Bear  ® . 

N  ahpi^tsitsakis . 

Good  Bear . 

2 

Yellow  Hair  . 

AYatsiYis . 

Yellow  Hair . 

2 

Mrs.  Crow’s  Heart . 

A^koatas . 

Leading  One . 

2 

Harry  Eaton . 

Is  'tanuweYsas . 

One  Eye . 

1 

James  Driver . 

Na^kiiis . 

Driver . 

1 

1  Died  January  29,  1921. 

2  Died  October  15,  1921. 

3  Died  June  10, 1913.  Recorded  one  additional  song  with  his  wife.  Otter  Woman. 

<  Died  January  1,  1922. 

6  Died  March  9,  1918. 

®  Died  January  27, 1916. 

7  Died  August  11,  1918. 

8  Died  July  15, 1918. 

9  Died  January  3, 1917. 

INFORMANTS  WHO  DID  NOT  RECORD  SONGS 


MANDAN 

Common  name 

Mandan  name 

Translation 

Sitting  Crow . 

Ke^kamaakanu'^ka . 

Sitting  Crow. 

Water  Chief. 

Water  Chief  ^ . 

Mi^nakinuma^ksi . 

1  Died  July  20, 1917. 


PROPER  NAMES  AND  OTHER  NATIVE  TERMS 


XIX 


HIDATSA 


Buffalo  Paunch  ^ . .  Ki^dapi^his . 

Dancing  Bull  ^ .  Ki^'dapPmadi^sis 

Joseph  Packineau . 

>  Died  November  8, 1918. 

*  Died  January  29, 1918. 

PEOPEK  NAMES  AND  OTHER  NATIVE  TERMS 

Mandan 

MPhisP 
Pago^sinanda 
Waru^paha^guske 
Ka^ohe 
IheMami 
Mista^wadu^sa 
Ma^htipte^he 
Ha'retasi 

Hidatsa 

One  Buffalo . Wedok^mahana 

Elk  Woman . Ma^rokawPa 

Mandan  and  Hidatsa  Equivalents  (not  Appearing  in  the  Text) 

MANDAN  SOCIETIES  AMONG  THE  WOMEN 

Society . O'hate 

Goose  Women  Society . MPha  o^hate 

Skunk  Society . Sun^hte  o^hate 

Enemy  Society . WPdami  o^hate 

Little  River  Women  Society..  .  -Pasa'mi  o^hate 

MANDAN  SOCIETIES  AMONG  THE  MEN 


White  Society . So^hta  o^hate 

Fox  Society . . . O^ha  o^hate  (also  given  as  I^hokaPke  o^hate) 

Young  Dog  Society . Mi^nisinik  o^hate 

Foolish  Dog  Society . MPniso^hka  o^hate 

Dog  Society . MPnis  o^hate 

Black  Mouth  Society . Fapsifade  o^hate 

Buffalo  Society . Pasa^sa  oTiate 

Coarse  Hair  Society . 


HIDATSA  SOCIETIES  AMONG  THE  MEN 


Society  (general  term) . Bu^dawanPdi 

Notched  Stick  Society .  (?) 

Stone  Hammer  Society . MPi  maii^paki 

Fox  Society . I^hohga  (also  given  as  Fhukisi) 

Lump  wood  Society . MPdahPsi 

Crazy  Dog  Society . Mu^sugawana^he 

Dog  Society . MWsugaPhka  (intended,  or  wanted,  to  be  a  dog) 


Good  Fur  Robe. 

Head  Rattle . 

Rawhide  Loop.. 
Swinging  Corn.. 
Moves  Slowly.. . 

Iron  Eyes . 

Running  Rabbit 
Black  Wolf . 


Buffalo  Bull  Paunch. 
Dancing  Buffalo  Bull. 


XX 


PROPER  NAMES  AND  OTHER  NATIVE  TERMS 


Blackmouth . ITsipPhe  (Pi,  mouth,  sipPhe,  black) 

Buffalo  Society . KPdapi 

Half  cut  Society . Tsu''ta  (half)  giragu^ga  (shaved,  or  cut) 

Bad  Ear  Society . Ako^hanitsi 


Names  of  Musical  Instruments 


Mandan 

Drum . Da^mamPhe 

Large  drum . Da^mamPhe 

Small  drum . Da'mamPhe 

Rattle . I^na . 

“Mushroom  rattle”.  . .  .HnupsPka... 

Whistle . Ti^koska - 

Flageolet . I^wuku . 


Hidatsa 
Mada^haliki 
Mada^haliki  iktPa 
Mada^haliki  karis^ta 
Ha^bowa 

.(not  used  by  Hidatsa) 
Mi^daia^kosi 

MPdaia'kotse  (“singing  whistle”) 


MANDAN  AND  HIDATSA  MUSIC 


By  Frances  Densmore 


CHAEACTEEIZATION  OF  SINGEES 

Mandan 

The  group  of  Mandan  singers  and  informants  comprised  prac¬ 
tically  all  the  full-blood  Mandans  living  on  the  reservation  when  the 
material  was  collected.  They  were  persons  of  strong  individuality 
and  upright  character.  None  were  less  than  50  years  of  age  and 
a  majority  were  probably  more  than  65  years  old  at  the  time.  Little 
Crow  and  Water  Chief  died  before  the  field  work  was  completed. 
The  only  one  of  the  number  who  spoke  enough  English  to  carry 
on  a  meager  conversation  was  Ben  Benson,  and  he  required  an  inter¬ 
preter  when  giving  his  information  concerning  tribal  customs. 

What  may  be  regarded  as  the  oldest  and  most  valuable  material 
was  given  by  Scattered  Corn  (pi.  2,  &),  daughter  of  Moves  Slowly, 
the  last  corn  priest  of  the  Mandan,  who  died  in  1904.  He  is  said 
to  have  been  “  the  last  of  a  line  of  34  priests  whose  names  are  kept 
in  a  pictographic  record,  with  their  ages,  which  average  between 
60  and  TO  years.”  ^  This  gave  authority  to  her  statements  con¬ 
nected  with  the  corn  customs. 

Little  Crow,  who  recorded  songSi  in  1912  and  died  the  follow¬ 
ing  year,  was  an  aged  and  highly  honored  member  of  the  tribe. 
Wounded  Face  is  a  fine  type  of  the  old  Indian  in  his  character 
and  bearing.  He  appears  to  have  acted  as  an  informant  to  all 
who  have  studied  the  customs  of  his  tribe.  Ben  Benson  is  a  much 
younger  man  who  has  filled  with  credit  the  office  of  Indian  police¬ 
man  and  taken  other  responsibilities  in  connection  with  his  people. 
Crow’s  Heart  is  prominent  in  the  life  of  the  reservation  and  repre¬ 
sents  an  entirely  different  type  from  the  other  singers.  That  he 
might  be  termed  “  a  man  of  affairs  ”  is  shown  by  the  following 
incidents.  The  Mandan  and  Hidatsa  village  at  Fort  Berthold  was 
abandoned  in  1887  and  the  Indians  subsequently  were  given  allot¬ 
ments,  the  Mandans  being  located  on  the  western  side  of  the  Mis- 

1  Will  and  Hyde.  Corn  among  the  Indians  of  the  Upper  Missouri,  p.  268. 


1 


2 


BUKEAU  OF  AMERICAFT  ETHNOLOGY 


[bull.  80 


souri  Kiver  and  most  of  the  Hidatsa  on  the  eastern  side,  where  the 
agency  is  located.  Crow’s  Heart’s  land  was  on  the  shore  of  the 
Missouri  River,  making  it  accessible  both  by  water  and  land.  There 
he  built  an  earth  lodge  of  the  old  type  (pi.  3,  <2),  having  no  win¬ 
dows  and  with  a  corn-drying  scaffold  over  the  door  (pi.  4).^  He 
built  a  comfortable  log  house  for  himself  and  later  a  two-story 
house  for  his  son,  who  is  a  successful  cattle  raiser.  Near  his  group 
of  buildings  he  erected  a  “  cedar  post  ”  with  a  paling  around  it, 
similar  to  that  in  the  Mandan  section  of  the  Fort  Berthold  vil¬ 
lage  (see  p.  5).  There  is  an  excellent  camping  ground  at  this 
point,  and  “  Crow’s  Heart’s  place  ”  became  a  kind  of  communal 
center  for  the  Mandans.  Many  feasts  and  gatherings  were  held  in 
his  earth  lodge,  one  of  which  was  attended  by  the  writer,  who  was 
afterwards  taken  across  the  river  by  Crow’s  Heart  in  hisi  “bull 
boat,”  or  round  hide  boat  of  the  old  type.  Many  travelers,  as  well 
as  the  Indians,  have  been  taken  across  in  this  manner,  so  that  the 
location  is  known  as  “  Crow’s.  Heart’s  Landing,”  or  “  Crow’s  Heart’s 
Ferry,”  and  from  this  business  he  has  acquired  a  considerable 
income.  The  site  is  shown  in  Plate  6,  a. 

Hidatsa 

This  group  of  singers  comprised  a  wider  range  of  ages  than  the 
group  of  Mandans.  Butterfly  was  probably  the  oldest  Hidatsa 
singer;  Good  Bear  was  highly  respected  and  for  many  years  was 
judge  in  the  agency  court  of  Indian  offenses ;  and  Holding  Eagle  was 
a  prominent  member  of  the  tribe.  These  three  died  before  the  pres¬ 
ent  work  was  completed.  Pan  has  adapted  himself  to  the  white 
man’s  ways  and  is  an  industrious  farmer.  Old  Dog  (pi.  1)  has  a 
log  “council  house”  (pi.  3,  &)  near  his  dwelling,  which  serves  as 
a  communal  center  for  the  Hidatsa  of  the  vicinity,  much  as  Crow’s 
Heart’s  does  for  the  Mandans,  though  the  two  tribes  mingle  freely 
in  these  gatherings.  Old  Dog’s  house  is  on  the  eastern  side  of  the 
Missouri  River  and  only  a  few  miles  from  the  agency.  The  group 
consists  of  several  dwellings  and  a  sweat  lodge  (pi.  5,  a).  In  con¬ 
struction  it  differs  from  Crow’s  Heart’s  and  resembles  the  dance 
houses  of  the  Sioux  and  Chippewa,  being  built  of  logs  laid  in  hori¬ 
zontal  rows  and  plastered  with  mud ;  it  also  has  two  or  three  -small 
windows  with  glass  panes.  James  Driver  was  the  youngest  Hidatsa 
whose  songs  were  recorded.  He  is  representative  of  the  present 
generation  of  Indians  who  sing  a  type  of  song  different  from  the 
old  melodies  of  the  tribe. 

*  The  woman  seated  on  the  ground  is  softening  a  hide  by  drawing  it  back  and  forth 
across  a  dull  scythe  fastened  to  the  post. 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


BULLETIN  80  PLATE  1 


OLD  DOG 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


BULLETIN  80  PLATE  2 


a.  James  Holding  Eagle 


b.  Scattered  Corn 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


BULLETIN  80  PLATE  3 


a.  Crow’s  Heart’s  earth  lodge 


6.  Old  Dog’s  log  lodge 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


BULLETIN  80  PLATE  4 


a.  Entrance  to  earth  lodge 


h.  Entrance  to  earth  lodge,  showing  seal! old  for  drying  corn 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


BULLETIN  80  PLATE  5 


a.  Frame  of  sweat  lodge 


b.  Com-drying  scaffold 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY  BULLETIN  80  PLATE 


Missouri  River,  looking  west 


bfeNSMORE] 


mandan  and  hidatsa  music 


3 


MANDAN  AND  HIDATSA  INDIANS 

Name 

Mandan. — The  origin  of  this  name  is  not  fully  established,  though 
many  hold  the  opinion  that  it  is  a  corruption  of  the  Dakota  word 
“  Miwatani,”  which,  it  is  said,  was  applied  to  these  people  by  the 
Sioux.  Matthews  states  that  “  Previous  to  1837,  they  called  them¬ 
selves  simply  NumakaH,  People^  Men.  They  sometimes  spoke 
of  themselves  and  the  Minnetarees  together  as  Nuweta,  Ourselves. 
A  large  band  of  their  tribe  was  called  Siposka-numakaki,  Prairie- 
hen  People^  or  Grouse  Men.^'‘^  La  Verendrye  in  his  journal  (1738- 
39),  speaks  of  “the  Mandans,  who  were  formerly  called  Ouachi- 
pouanne.”  ^ 

Hidatsa. — “  The  name  Hidatsa,  by  which  they  now  call  them¬ 
selves,  has  been  said,  with  doubtful  authority,  to  mean  ‘  willows,’ 
and  is  stated  by  Matthews  to  have  been  originally  the  name  only 
of  a  principal  village  of  the  tribe  in  their  old  home  on  Knife 
r.  .  .  .  By  the  Mandans  they  are  known  as  Minitari,  signifying 
‘they  crossed  the  water,’  traditionally  said  to  refer  to  their  having 
crossed  the  Missouri  r.  from  the  E.  .  .  .  The  Crows  call  them 
Amashi,  ‘  earth  lodges.’  ”  ® 

History  and  Characteristics 

Mandan. — This  Siouan  tribe  occupied  an  important  strategic  posi¬ 
tion  on  the  northern  Missouri  Kiver  (pi.  6,  Z>).  They  were  visited  by 
Sieur  de  la  Verendrye  in  1738  and  later  by  Maximilian,  Lewis  and 
Clark,  Catlin,  and  other  explorers,  who  recorded  their  impressions 
of  the  tribes  and  its  customs.  While  related  to  the  tribes  immedi¬ 
ately  to  the  south  and  west  (the  Dakota  and  Crow)  in  language,  the 
Mandan  differed  from  them  in  habits  and  type  of  dwelling. 

Traditions  concerning  the  history  of  these  people  are  scanty,  but 
“the  fact  that  when  first  encountered  by  the  whites  they  relied  to 
some  extent  on  agriculture  as  a  means  of  subsistence  would  seem  to 
justify  the  opinion  that  they  were,  at  some  time  past,  in  a  region  where 
agriculture  was  practiced.”  ®  According  to  Catlin,  the  Mandan  were 
“  very  interesting  and  pleasing  people  in  their  personal  appearance 
and  manners.”  He  states  further  that  “  They  are  handsome,  straight, 
and  elegant  in  their  forms — not  tall,  but  quick  and  graceful;  easy  . 
and  polite  in  their  manners,  neat  in  their  persons,  and  beautifully 

^  Matthews,  Ethnography  of  the  Hidatsa. 

*  La  Verendrye’s  Journal,  in  Report  on  Canadian  Archives,  1889,  p.  5. 

®  Handbook  Amer.  Inds.,  pt.  1,  p.  547. 

®  Handbook  Amer.  Inds.,  pt.  1,  art.  Mandan,  p.  797. 


4 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


[bull..  80 


clad.”^  Early  writers  are  agreed  as  to  their  friendliness  and  hos¬ 
pitality. 

Hidatsa. — “According  to  their  own  tradition  the  Hidatsa  came 
from  the  neighborhood  of  a  lake  N.E.  of  their  later  home,  and  identi¬ 
fied  by  some  of  their  traditionists  with  Mini-wakan  or  Devils  lake, 
N.  Dak.  .  .  .  Removing  from  there,  perhaps  in  consequence  of  at¬ 
tacks  by  the  Sioux,  they  moved  S.  W.  and  allied  themselves  with 
the  Mandan,  who  then  lived  on  the  W.  side  of  the  Missouri,  about  the 
mouth  of  Heart  r.  The  three  tribes,  Hidatsa,  Mandan,  and  Ankara, 
were  all  living  in  this  vicinity  about  1765.  .  .  .  Some  time  before 
1796  these  two  tribes  [Mandan  and  Hidatsa]  moved  up  the  river  to 
the  vicinity  of  Knife  r.,  where  they  were  found  by  Lewis  and  Clark 
in  1804.  .  .  .  There  was  no  change  in  the  location  of  the  villages 
until  after  the  terrible  smallpox  epidemic  of  .1837,  which  so  greatly 
reduced  the  Indian  population  of  the  upper  Missouri.  ...  In  1845 
they  and  the  remnant  of  the  Mandan  also,  about  the  same  time,  moved 
up  the  river  and  established  themselves  in  a  new  village  close  to  the 
trading  post  of  Ft.  Berthold,  on  the  N.  bank  of  the  Missouri  and 
some  distance  below  the  entrance  of  the  Little  Missouri,  in  North 
Dakota.  ...  In  home  life,  religious  beliefs  and  customs,  house  build¬ 
ing,  agriculture,  the  use  of  the  skin  boat,  and  general  arts,  they 
closely  resembled  the  Mandan  with  whom  they  were  associated.”  ® 

Under  the  name  of  the  Minatarees  they  are  mentioned  by  early 
writers  as  having  essentially  the  same  agreeable  characteristics  as 
the  Mandans.  “And  they  are  now  officially  known  as  Gros  Ventres 
.  .  . ,  a  name  applied  also  to  the  Atsina,  a  detached  tribe  of  the  Arap- 
aho.”  ® 

Both  Mandan  and  Hidatsa  are  agricultural  people,  among  their 
methods  of  preserving  food  being  the  drying  of  corn  on  scaffolds 
and  the  cutting  of  squash  in  thin  slices  that  are  strung  on  ropes  of 
grass  and  dried  (pi.  7).  Some  corn  scaffolds  have  high  poles  at  the 
sides,  on  which  are  hung  strings  of  corn  with  the  husks  braided  to¬ 
gether.  A  corn  scaffold  with  only  the  floor  on  which  the  sheaves  of 
corn  are  laid  is  shown  in  plate  5,  h.  Such  a  scaffold  was  usually  over 
a  sort  of  “  porch  ”  that  formed  an  entrance  to  the  earth  lodge,  as  in 
plate  4,  Z>. 

Dwellings  and  Villages 

’  Mandan. — The  typical  dwelling  of  the  Mandan  was  the  round 
earth-covered  lodge  with  a  scaffold  over  the  entrance  (pi.  4,  a).  In 
1804  Catlin  visited  a  Mandan  village  which  consisted  of  such  dwell- 

’  Catlin,  Manners,  Customs,  and  Condition  of  the  North  American  Indians,  vol.  1, 
pp.  93,  96. 

8  Handbook  Amer.  Inds.,  pt.  1,  art.  Hidatsa,  p.  548. 

»  Handbook  Amer.  Inds.,  pt.  1,  art.  Hidatsa,  pp.  547-548. 


densmore] 


MANDAN  AND  HIDATSA  MUSIC 


5 


ings  and  was  located  on  a  high  bank  or  promontory  overlooking  the 
Missouri  River.  Two  sides  of  the  village  were  protected  by  the 
river,  which  at  this  point  turned  at  a  sharp  angle.  The  third  side 
was  protected  by  a  strong  piquet,  and  a  ditch  inside  of  it,  of  3  or 
4  feet  in  depth.”  Back  of  the  village,  on  the  level  prairie,  were 
the  scaffolds  used  in  disposing  of  the  dead,  and  at  a  longer  distance 
were  the  tribal  gardens.  The  earth  lodges  were  close  together  ex¬ 
cept  for  a  “  ceremonial  space  ”  in  the  center  of  the  village.  In  this 
was  a  primitive  structure,  called  by  various  writers  an  “  ark  ”  or  a 
“  big  canoe.”  To  the  writer  it  was  described  as  a  paling  of  slabs 
about  6  feet  high,  within  which  was  a  cedar  post  said  to  represent 
“One  Man,  brother  of  First  Man.”^^  Wlien  the  village  in  which 
the  Mandan  and  Hidatsa  dwelt  at  F ort  Berthold  was  abandoned,  this 
structure  was  moved  to  Crow’s  Heart’s  allotment,  as  described  on 
page  2. 

The  tops  of  the  lodges  were  used  for  various  purposes.  They 
served  as  a  place  for  storing  large  articles,  such  as  sledges  and  hide 
boats  (“bull  boats”),  as  well  as  pottery.  Buffalo  skulls  were  usu¬ 
ally  to  be  seen  there,  and  on  pleasant  days  the  scalps  of  the  enemy 
were  displayed  that  the  entire  village  might  see  them.  It  was  not 
unusual  for  men  to  play  games,  warriors  to  relate  their  exploits,  and 
women  to  make  garments  on  the  tops  of  the  lodges.  In  the  evening 
the  entire  family  gathered  there  and  sang,  the  custom  of  singing  on 
the  lodge  tops  being  a  pleasant  phase  of  village  life.  (See  songs  57 
and  110.) 

Hidatsa. — After  taking  up  their  abode  with  the  Mandan  it  ap¬ 
pears  that  the  Hidatsa  used  the  same  type  of  house  as  that  tribe.  The 
form  of  their  dwellings  before  that  time  must  be  somewhat  a  matter 
of  conjecture,  but  we  note  that  the  communal  house,  or  “council 
house,”  of  Old  Dog,  an  Hidatsa,  was  a  log  structure  similar  to  that 
of  the  Sioux  and  Chippewa,  while  the  Mandan  retained  the  earth 
lodge  for  their  gathering  place. 

Pottery 

Mandan. — The  excellent  quality  of  Mandan  pottery  is  the  more 
interesting  as  this  tribe  lived  on  the  northwestern  limit  of  the  pottery 
area.  The  ware  was  thin  and  well  made,  with  characteristic  forms 
and  decoration.  In  color  it  was  usually  black,  though  sometimes  a 
dull  orange  or  red  from  firing.  The  decorations  were  of  two  types, 
the  incised  and  the  cord-marked  patterns.^^ 


Catlin,  op.  cit.,  vol.  1,  pp,  81—82,  Cf.  also  Maximilian,  Travels,  Pt.  II,  pp.  266-269. 

^  See  analysis  of  song  No.  21. 

“  Will  and  Spinden,  The  Mandans,  Papers  Peabody  Mus.  Amer.  Archaeol.  and  Ethn., 
Vol.  Ill,  no.  4,  pp.  173-179. 


6 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


[bull.  80 


Burial  Customs 

Mandan. — In  his  account  of  the  Mandan  village  Catlin  states  that 
“the  dead  are  on  scaffolds  just  back  of  the  village,  on  the  level 
prairie,  some  hundreds  of  bodies  being  there.  .  .  .  When  the  scaf¬ 
folds  fall  the  skulls  are  placed  in  circles  on  the  prairie,  each  skull 
on  a  bunch  of  wild  sage,  renewed  from  time  to  time.”^^  The  people 
of  the  village  were  said  to  betake  themselves  often  to  these 
circles  of  skulls,  sitting  for  hours  at  a  time  and  talking  to  or  caress¬ 
ing  the  skull  of  a  deceased  relative.  Scaffolds  for  the  dead  were  used 
on  the  Fort  Berthold  Beservation  until  comparatively  recent  time, 
the  accompanying  illustration  being  a  scene  well  remembered  by  Dr. 
C.  L.  Hall,  who  sup^Dlied  the  photograph.  (PI.  8,  h.) 

Hidatsa. — Lowie  states  that  “two  modes  of  burial  were  in  vogue, 
and  the  one  preferred  by  the  dying  man  was  followed.  One  method 
was  that  of  actual  interment,  the  director  digging  a  pit  into  which 
the  body  was  lowered.  .  .  .  The  second  way  was  scaffold  burial.^^. 

Language 

Mandan. — This  is  unquestionably  of  Siouan  stock.  There  are  only 
two  small  publications  in  the  Mandan  language.  One  is  the  Ten 
Commandments,  translated  by  Dr.  C.  L.  Hall,  missionary  of  the  Con¬ 
gregational  Church  on  the  Fort  Berthold  Beservation,  and  the  other 
is  a  hymn  book  and  translation  of  the  Lord’s  Prayer  prepared  by  his 
son,  Mr.  B.  D.  Hall.  A  vocabulary  of  the  Mandan  was  compiled 
by  Maximilian,^^  and  a  comparative  table  of  the  Mandan  and  other 
languages  was  prepared  by  Catlin.^®  The  only  modern  study  of  the 
language  and  grammar  is  that  by  Will  and  Spinden,  which  contains 
an  English-Mandan  vocabulary.^^ 

Hidatsa. — Like  the  Mandan,  this  is  of  Siouan  stock.  At  the  present 
time  it  is  much  more  widely  spoken  than  the  Mandan,  which  is  fast 
dying  out.  A  vocabulary  of  the  Hidatsa  was  compiled  by  Maxi¬ 
milian,^®  but  a  comprehensive  consideration  is  given  the  subject  by 
Matthews,  including  a  grammar  and  Hidatsa-English  and  English- 
Hidatsa  vocabularies.^® 

Mythology 

The  Mandan  relate  a  story  concerning  the  origin  of  the  first  man, 
and  also  a  story  concerning  the  appearance  of  the  tribe  on  the  earth. 

Catlin,  op.  cit.,  vol.  1,  pp.  89-90. 

Lowie,  Notes  on  the  Mandan,  Hidatsa,  and  Crow  Indians,  pp.  51-52. 

Maximilian,  Travels,  pt.  HI,  pp.  234-261. 

Catlin,  op.  cit.,  vol.  2,  Appendix  B. 

Will  and  Spinden,  The  Mandans,  Papers  Peabody  Mus.  Amer.  Archaeol.  and  Ethn., 
vol.  HI,  no.  4. 

Maximilian,  op.  cit.,  pp.  261-276. 

Matthews,  Ethnography  of  the  Hidatsa,  pp.  89-239, 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


BULLETIN  80  PLATE  7 


DRIED  SQUASH 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


BULLETIN  80  PLATE  8 


a.  (’’amp  on  Fort  Berthold  Reservation 


b.  Scallold  burial  on  Fort  Berthold  Reservation 


dbnsmore] 


mandan  and  hidatsa  music 


7 


These  stories  have  nothing  in  common  and  are  related  by  the  same 
individual  with  no  attempt  at  correlation.  Thus  Scattered  Corn  said 
that  her  father  (Moves  Slowly)  was  the  last  man  who  could  relate 
in  its  entirety  the  “long  story  about  First  Man”;  she  said  that  she 
knew  it  somewhat  imperfectly,  but  related  in  detail  the  story  of  the 
tribe’s  ascent  through  a  hole  in  the  ground.  Both  were  recorded 
by  Maximilian,  details  were  added  by  Catlin  and  by  Lewis  and  Clark, 
and  versions  differing  in  slight  degrees  have  appeared  in  recent 
times.  The  longer  story  is  a  creation  myth,  summarized  as  fol¬ 
lows:  Lord  of  Life  created  First  Man,  who  in  turn  created  the  earth 
from  mud  brought  by  a  duck  from  the  bottom  of  the  sea.  A,  dispute 
arose  between  Lord  of  Life  and  First  Man  as  to  which  should 
address  the  other  as  father,  and  they  made  what  might  be  termed 
a  test  of  immortality.  In  some  versions  Lord  of  Life  was  victorious, 
while  in  a  version  given  in  connection  with  song  No.  21  of  the  pres¬ 
ent  work  the  result  of  the  contest  was  indeterminate.  The  con¬ 
testants  in  this  form  of  the  legend  were  Old  Man  Coyote  and  Cedar 
Post.  From  this  point  the  story  concerns  the  shaping  of  the  land 
and  its  populating  with  man  and  animals.  The  shorter  story  states 
that  the  Mandan  lived  beneath  the  earth.  The  roots  of  a  grape¬ 
vine  grew  down  to  their  abode  and  admitted  the  light.  With  the  help 
of  various  animals  this  hole  was  enlarged  and  the  people  climbed  up 
the  grapevine  to  this  earth.  About  half  the  people  had  ascended, 
when  a  very  corpulent  woman  broke  the  vine.  Thus  a  portion  of  the 
tribe  remained  below.  It  is  said  this  happened  “  near  a  lake,  to  the 

east.”  Good  Fur  Robe  was  their  chief  when  they  came  upon  this 

* 

earth,  and  he  taught  them  how  to  live  in  their  new  surroundings. 

Besides  these  stories  there  are  a  number  of  unrelated  legends, 
such  as  the  legends  concerning  Old  Woman  Who  Never  Dies  and 
the  origin  of  the  tribal  societies. 

Music 

The  music  of  the  Mandan  and  Hidatsa  is  fully  considered  in  this 
paper;  the  following  comments  by  early  travelers  are,  however,  of 
interest  in  this  connection.  John  Bradbury,  of  England,  who  went 
to  Fort  Berthold  in  the  early  part  of  the  nineteenth  century,  wrote 
as  follows  concerning  the  singing  of  the  “Aricaras,  Mandans,  and 
Minetarees,  or  Gros  Ventres”:  “I  observed  that  their  voices  were 
in  perfect  unison,  and  although,  according  to  pur  ideas  of  music, 
there  was  neither  harmony  nor  melody,  yet  the  effect  was  pleasing, 
as  there  evidently  was  system,  all  the  changes  of  tone  being  as 
exactly  conformable  in  point  of  time  as  if  only  one  voice  had  been 
heard. Catlin,  who  visited  them  about  25  years  later,  made  this 


Bradbury,  Travels  in  the  Interior  of  America,  p.  116. 


8 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY  . 


[bull.  80 


observation :  “  There  is  evidently  a  set  song  and  sentiment  for  every 
dance,  for  the  songs  are  perfectly  measured,  and  sung  in  exact  time 
with  the  beat  of  the  drum,  and  always  with  an  uniform  and  in¬ 
variable  set  of  sounds  and  expressions  .  .  .  which  are  expressed 
by  the  voice,  though  sometimes  not  given  in  any  known  lan¬ 
guage  whatever.  They  have  other  dances  and  songs  which  are  not 
so  mystified,  but  which  are  sung  and  understood  by  every  person  in 
the  tribe,  being  sung  in  their  own  language,  with  much  poetry  in 
them,  and  perfectly  metered,  but  without  rhyme.” 

Musical  Instruments 

Drums. — The  Mandan  appear 'to  have  used  only  the  hand  drum 
of  the  type  common  to  many  tribes  and  shown  in  plate  9,  a,  h. 
This  was  of  various  sizes,  the  smallest,  perhaps,  being  that  used  in 
the  Goose  Women  Society  (pi.  13,  a).  This  drum  was  decorated 
with  drawings  of  goose  tracks,  but  no  mention  was  made  of  decora¬ 
tions  on  other  drums.  Sitting  Crow  said  that  some  of  the  drums 
used  in  the  men’s  societies  were  “  as  large  as  he  could  reach  around 
with  his  two  arms.”  The  average  size  was  about  18  inches  in  diameter. 
The  drumming  stick  illustrated  in  plate  9,  is  similar  to  that 
shown  by  Catlin  in  pictures  of  the  Buffalo  Society  and  other  dances. 
A  different  kind  of  stick  was  used  with  the  Goose  Women  Society 
drum,  as  shown  in  plate  13,  h.  The  writer’s  informants  remembered 
drums  made  of  hide  stretched  over  turtle  shells.  These  may  have 
been  common  to  both  tribes,  as  Pepper  and  Wilson  state  that  “  in 
the  Buffalo  dance  the  Turtle  gods  were  represented  by  drums.” 

Rattles. — The  principal  types  of  rattles  used  by  both  Mandan  and 
Hidatsa  were,  (1)  a  receptacle  containing  small  stones  or  shot  and 
fastened  to  a  handle,  and  (2)  a  decorated  stick  to  which  pieces  of 
deer  hoof  were  loosely  attached.  The  first  type  was  used  in  the  Black 
Mouth  and  Foolish  Dog  Societies  (see  pp.  48,  137).  Two  specimens 
of  a  Foolish  Dog  rattle  are  illustrated,  one  being  made  for  the  w^riter 
(pi.  9,  c)  and  the  other  (pi.  19,  h)  being  in  the  collection  of  the  North 
Dakota  Historical  Society.  A  photograph  of  the  latter  specimen  was 
taken  to  the  reservation  and  shown  to  the  old  men,  who  identified  it 
as  a  rattle  of  this  society.^^  It  consists  of  a  rawhide  receptacle  con¬ 
taining  shot  or  small  pebbles  and  surrounded  by  short  sections  of  tail 
feathers  with  stiff  quills.  Long  feathers  of  the  eagle  were  hung  from 
this  receptacle.  The  specimen  is  18  inches  long  (exclusive  of  the  loop 

21  Catlin,  Manners,  Customs,  and  Condition  of  the  North  American  Indians,  vol.  1, 
p.  126. 

22  An  Hidatsa  shrine,  footnote,  p.  299. 

23  The  writer  acknowledges  the  courtesy  of  Dr.  Melvin  R.  Gilmore,  curator  of  the  North 
Dakota  Historical  Society,  in  loaning  this  specimen  for  photography.  Other  spicimens 
thus  loaned  were  the  “Mushroom”  rattle  (pi.  9,  d) ,  the  Goose  Women  Society  drum 
(pi.  13,  a),  and  the  headdress  worn  in  the  Buffalo  Society  (pi.  19,  a). 


DENS  more] 


MANDAN  and  HIDATSA  MUSIC 


9 


for  hanging  it) ,  the  eagle  feathers  constituting  about  half  this  length. 
The  rawhide  head  is  about  3^  inches  thick.  Hawk  feathers  were  used 
on  these  rattles  if  eagle  feathers  were  not  available.  A  ‘‘  mushroom- 
shaped  rattle”  (pi.  9,  d)  of  somewhat  similar  construction  was  used 
in  the  ceremony  that  followed  the  eagle  catching  (pp.  62,  63). 

The  Dog  Society  rattle  (pi.  10,  b)  was  supplied  by  Wounded 
Face,  who  said  it  had  been  in  his  possession  for  many  years.  Song 
No.  68  was  recorded  with  the  accompaniment  of  this  rattle.  Wounded 
Face  said  that  a  dancer  held  the  rattle  in  his  right  hand,  which  hung 
at  his  side,  the  rattle  being  shaken  in  that  position. 

War  whistles. — Each  society  had  its  form  of  war  whistle,  or,  ac¬ 
cording  to  Maximilian,  its  “war  pipe,”  made  of  a  wing  bone  of  a 
bird.  Among  the  war  pipes  enumerated  by  Maximilian  is  a  double 
whistle  made  of  the  wing  bone  of  the  goose.  Wounded  Face  de¬ 
scribed  a  similar  whistle  made  of  quills,  saying  that  the  quills  were 
those  of  very  large  birds,  that  they  were  cut  4  or  5  inches  in  length, 
fastened  together  side  by  side,  and  blown  by  directing  the  breath 
'across  the  upper  open  ends  of  the  quills.  This  whistle  was  said  to 
produce  two  tones  of  different  pitch. 

Maximilian  states  that  the  various  sorts  of  war  pipes  are  “  among 
the  badges  of  the  unions,  which  divide  the  men  into  six  classes, 
according  to  their  age.”  He  says  “The  first  band  or  union  is  com¬ 
posed  of  the  ‘foolish  dogs.’  .  .  .  They  are  young  people  from  ten 
to  fifteen  years  of  age,  and  wear  a  pipe  made  of  the  wing  bone  of  the 
wild  goose  which  is  but  small.  .  .  .  The  second  class  or  band  is  that 
of  the  crows  or  ravens;  it  consists  of  young  men  from  twenty  to 
twenty-five  years  of  age.”  Theirs  is  “  a  double  war-pipe  consisting 
of  two  wing  bones  of  a  goose  joined  together.  .  .  .  The  third  class 
or  band  is  that  of  the  soldiers,”  who  “  paint  the  upper  part  of  the 
face  red,  and  the  lower  part  black.  Their  war  pipe  is  large,  and 
made  of  the  wing  bone  of  a  crane.  .  .  .  The  fourth  band,  that  of  the 
dogs  .  .  .  have  a  large  war  pipe  of  the  wing  bone  of  a  swan.  The 
fifth  band  is  that  of  the  buffaloes.  .  .  .  This  band  alone  has  a 
wooden  war  pipe.” 

Courting  whistles. — Two  types  of  courting  whistles  were  in  use 
among  the  Mandan  and  Hidatsa.  The  first  type  had  the  open  end 
carved  to  represent  the  head  of  a  bird,  resembling  in  this  respect  the 
grass  dance  whistle  of  the  Sioux  and  other  tribes.  (Cf.  Bull.  61, 
Bur.  Amer.  Ethn.,  p.  471.)  The  second  type  was  said  to  be  like 
this  except  that  the  end  was  not  carved.  This  was  called  an  “elk 
whistle  ”  and  was  said  to  have  “  originated  through  a  man  who  had  a 
dream.”  In  his  dream  he  saw  an  elk  which  gave  him  one  of  these 
whistles  and  told  him  to  use  it  in  courting.  It  was  said  further 


^  Maximilian,  op.  cit.,  pt.  Ii,  pp.  291-295. 


10 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


[bull.  80 


that  the  length  of  this  whistle  varied  according  to  the  stature  of  the 
man  who  made  it,  the  usual  measurement  being  from  the  tips  of  the 
fingers  of  the  right  hand,  along  the  right  arm,  across  the  chest,  and 
to  the  shoulder  joint  of  the  left  arm.  Great  stress  was  laid  upon 
the  tone  of  the  instrument.  It  does  not  appear  that  the  first  type 
of  whistle  was  so  long  as  this,  the  specimen  illustrated  (pi.  10,  h) 
being  only  22f  inches  below  the  mouth.  In  construction  it  is  an 
open  pipe,  with  the  usual  whistle  or  flageolet  mouthpiece.  The 
following  part  of  the  long  harmonic  series  could  be  produced  on  this 
instrument,  the  tones  being  named  in  ascending  order:  A  flat 
(second  space  treble  staff),  D  flat,  F,  A  flat,  C  flat,  D  flat,  E  flat,  F. 
Pan  played  on  this  whistle  (pis.  10,  «,  14,  c)  before  transferring  it  to 

J  r  63 


Sva 


the  writer,  and  a  record  was  made  of  a  portion  of  his  performance, 
this  being  transcribed  as  figure  1.  The  instrument  was  also  played 
by  Mr.  E.  H.  Hawley,  curator  of  musical  instruments.  United  States 
National  Museum. 

It  seems  possible  that  the  Indians  using  such  a  whistle  obtained 
a  perception  of  overtones  from  the  instrument. 

Flageolet  (commonly  called  a  flute).— No  specimen  of  this  instru¬ 
ment  was  available.  It  was  called  a  “singing  whistle”  by  the 
Hidatsa  because  melodies  could  be  played  on  it.  The  traditional 
origin  of  this  instrument,  together  with  a  characteristic  melody,  is 
given  on  pages  80-84  of  this  work.  Sitting  Crow  said  that  he  once 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


BULLETIN  80  PLATE  9 


a.  Obverse  b.  Reverse 

HAND  DRUM 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


BULLETIN  80  PLATE  10 


a.  Pan  playing  on  whistle 


b.  AVhistle  and  Dog  Socict}^  rattle 


densmoee] 


mandan  and  hidatsa  music 


11 


took  lessons  on  the  instrument,  but  did  not  progress  far  enough  to  be 
a  proficient  player.  The  flutes  were  made  of  box  elder  wood  about 
1  inch  in  diameter,  not  split,  but  having  the  pith  scooped  out.  A 
notched  flint  was  used  for  this  purpose,  the  work  being  done  first 
from  one  end,  then  from  the  other  end  of  the  stick.  The  length  was 

from  the  inside  of  a  man’s  elbow  to  the  end  of  his  middle  finger.” 
The  instrument  had  seven  holes  that  were  “  placed  a  convenient  dis¬ 
tance  apart.”  A  somewhat  similar  instrument  used  by  the  Utes  is 
described  and  illustrated  in  Bull.  75,  Bur.  Amer.  Ethn.,  page  28. 

Dealings  with  the  United  States  Government 

The  Mandan  have  always  been  friendly  toward  the  white  race, 
but  in  1825  a  treaty  of  peace  was  made  because  of  “  acts  of  hostility 
committed  by  some  restless  men  of  the  Mandan  Tribe.”  The  chiefs 
and  warriors  gave  satisfactory  explanations  of  these  acts  and  the 
treaty  was  consummated  on  July  30  of  that  year.^®  The  Mandan 
participated  with  other  tribes  in  the  treaty  of  Fort  Laramie  in  1851, 
one  paragraph  of  this'  treaty  defining  the  boundaries  of  the  “  Gros 
Ventre,  Mandan,  and  Arrickaras  Nations.”  By  an  Executive  order 
of  April  12,  1870,  a  reservation  was  set  aside  for  these  tribes,  which 
included  more  land  than  had  been  given  them  by  the  Fort  Laramie 
treaty,  the  reservation  including  parts  of  North  Dakota  and  Mon- 
tana.2^  A  portion  of  this,  however,  was  ceded  to  the  Government 
in  1880  and  additional  land  given  them.^®  The  boundaries  of  the 
Fort  Berthold  Reservation  were  finally  established  by  an  act  of  Con¬ 
gress  of  March  3,  1891,  the  reservation  being  entirely  within  the 
present  State  of  North  Dakota.  This  act  provided  for  the  allotment 
of  lands  in  severalty  to  these  tribes.^® 

In  1864  P.  J.  De  Smet,  S.  J.,  visited  Fort  Berthold  on  behalf  of 
the  Government  and  held  councils  with  the  “  Ricarees,  the  Mandans, 
and  Idatzas,  or  Gros  Ventres,”  all  of  whom  he  reported  to  be  “  in 
the  best  of  dispositions  toward  the  whites.”  It  appears  that  Mahlon 
Wilkinson  was  placed  in  charge  soon  after  De  Smet’s  visit,  for  in 
1868  Mr.  Wilkinson  made  his  fourth  annual  report  as  United  States 
agent  for  the  Fort  Berthold  Indians.  In  this  report  he  commends 
their  loyalty  in  resisting  “  all  overtures  from  the  hostile  Sioux 
looking  to  a  confederation.”^^  For  several  years  the  development 
of  agriculture  was  difficult,  as  war  parties  of  Sioux  and  of  Canadian 

Kappler,  Laws  and  Treaties,  vol.  ii,  p.  171. 

=^8Ibid.,  p.  441. 

^  Royce,  Indian  Land  Cessions  in  the  United  States,  p.  852. 

28  Ibid.,  p.  900. 

2"  Ibid.,  p.  942. 

Ex.  Doc.  No.  1,  38th  Congress,  2d  session,  p.  422,  Washington ;  1864. 

81  Report  Secretary  of  the  Interior  for  1867,  pt.  ii,  Ind.  Afifs.,  p.  236. 


12 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


[bull.  80 


Chippewa  made  it  dangerous  for  the  Indians  to  go  far  from  their 
villages  unless  they  were  heavily  armed.  Nevertheless,  1,000  acres 
were  under  cultivation  in  1872.^^  Peace  treaties  were  made  between 
the  Fort  Berthold  Indians  and  the  Sioux  in  1875  through  the  ef¬ 
forts  of  Gen.  G.  A.  Custer  and  General  Carlin,®^  and  conditions 
gradually  became  stabilized.  At  the  present  time  these  Indians 
are  actively  engaged  in  farming  and  cattle  raising  on  their  allot¬ 
ments. 

In  1804  the  number  of  Mandans  was  estimated  as  about  1,250, 
increasing  later  to  1,600,  but  being  reduced  to  150  by  the  smallpox 
in  1837.  The  number  in  1918  was  said  to  be  274.^^ 

MANDAN  AND  HIDATSA  MUSIC 
Introduction 

■  The  life  of  the  Mandan  and  Hidatsa  has  been  blended  for  many 
years,  but  each  tribe  has,  to  a  surprising  degree,  preserved  its  own 
songs.  There  are  many  songs  which  the  tribes  appear  to  have 
in  common  and  which  are  usually  associated  with  their  societies, 
but  there  are  other  songs  which  are  said  to  be  distinctly  Mandan 
or  Hidatsa.  These  are  the  songs  connected  with  ceremonies,  legends, 
or  tribal  warriors.  A  majority  of  the  songs  herewith  presented 
are  Mandan  songs,  as  they  were  the  principal  subject  of  the  re¬ 
search;  others  are  Hidatsa  or  appear  to  belong  to  the  two  tribes 
in  common.  The  Mandan  are  able  to  speak  the  Hidatsa  language 
and  frequently  use  it  in  their  songs,  as  it  is  easier  to  sing.  In 
such  instances  they  stated  that  the  melody  was  Mandan  and  that 
they  could  sing  the  words  in  either  language,  but  used  the  Hidatsa 
by  preference.  Mandan  words  are  transcribed  with  30  songs  and 
Hidatsa  with  20  songs;  Mandan  words  are  translated  but  not  tran¬ 
scribed  with  4  songs  and  Hidatsa  with  12  songs. 

At  the  beginning  of  the  work  a  special  inquiry  was  directed  toward 
the  songs  of  the  Little  River  Women  Society  and  son^s  connected 
with  the  corn  customs.  Beyond  this  the  singers  were  encouraged  to 
suggest  the  songs  which  they  regarded  as  valuable  for  preservation. 
It  is  interesting  to  note  the  prominence  of  songs  said  to  have  been 
received  from  supernatural  beings,  as  the  spirit  women,”  the  black 
eagle,  the  coyote,  and  the  bear.  Even  the  moon  gave  them  a  song, 
teaching  it  to  the  young  girls  as  they  danced.  Inquiry  failed  to  pro¬ 
duce  any  information  concerning  the  use  of  music  in  the  treatment 
of  the  sick,  which  formed  an  important  phase  of  the  music  of  Chip¬ 
pewa,  Sioux,  and  Ute.  The  available  information  concerning  medi- 


Report  of  Secretary  of  the  Interior  for  1872,  vol.  1,  p.  647. 
Report  of  Secretary  of  the  Interior  ifor  1875,  vol.  1,  p.  744. 
^  Report  of  Commissioner  of  Indian  Affairs  for  1918,  p.  92. 


densmorb] 


mandai^  akd  hidatsa  music 


13 


cine  practices  was  meager  and  of  little  value.  About  40  years  before 
the  present  research  was  conducted  E.  H.  Alden,  Indian  agent  at 
Fort  Berthold,  reported  that  “the  confidence  in  their  medicine  men 
is  slowly  disappearing.”^®  In  1918  Wounded  Face  said,  “Everyone 
knows  that  wild  mint  crushed  and  mixed  with  water  will  reduce  a 
fever;  no  conjuring  is  required  in  the  use  of  it.”  This  indicates  that 
the  native  illusions  have  passed  away.  Inquiry  also  failed  to  discover 
any  existent  ethical  teachings  corresponding  to  those  of  the  Chippewa 
Mide  or  the  leaders  in  the  Sioux  sun  dance. 

As  already  indicated,  it  is  the  custom  of  the  writer  to  follow  rather 
than  force  the  trend  of  Indian  thought.  This  often  leads  to  unfore¬ 
seen  and  interesting  results.  For  instance,  Ben  Benson,  a  reliable  in¬ 
formant,  asked  if  anything  had  been  “  written  down  ”  concerning  the 
custom  of  eagle  catching  and  offered  to  record  the  M'andan  songs, 
which  he  alone  has  the  hereditary  right  to  sing.  He  was  allowed  to 
select  the  place  where  he  wished  to  record  them,  and  designated  a 
place  where  he  thought  he  would  be  safe  from  interruption.  He 
brought  with  him  a  prominent  Mandan  chief  to  act  as  witness, 
according  to  the  native  custom.  At  intervals  during  his  narration 
he  consulted  this  witness,  who  had  the  right  to  offer  corrections  if 
he  considered  them  to  be  necessary.  (See  p.  61.) 

The  poetry  and  dignity  of  the  Mandan  character  is  shown  in  the 
words  of  the  songs.  Aside  from  the  songs  and  information  relative 
to  the  Stone  Hammer  Society,  the  Hidatsa  are  less  clearly  repre¬ 
sented  than  the  Mandan  in  the  present  work.  They  are,  however,  a 
somewhat  less  distinctive  tribe  and  are  better  preserved  for  future 
study.  The  Mandan  have  almost  disappeared,  and  when  a  small 
group  of  old  men  and  women  pass  away  there  will  no  longer  be  an 
opportunity  to  study  that  tribe.  It  is  to  be  regretted  that  more  has 
not  been  written  concerning  these  people,  who  were  among  the  first 
to  till  the  fertile  northern  plains. 

The  songs  herewith  presented  were  recorded  at  two  points  on  the 
reservation — the  agency  at  Elbowoods  and  a  place  on  the  western 
side  of  the  Missouri  known  as  “  Crow’s  Heart’s  Landing  ”  (pi.  6,  <2), 
near  which  the  writer  camped  for  a  time.  By  living  among  the 
people  in  this  manner  it  was  possible  to  secure  material  which  they 
would  have  been  reluctant  to  discuss  at  the  agency.  Field  work,  as 
already  stated,  was  begun  in  1912  under  the  auspices  of  the  State 
Historical  Society  of  North  Dakota  and  continued  in  1915  and  1918 
under  the  Bureau  of  American  Ethnology. 

The  Mandan  and  Hidatsa  are  different  in  temperament  from  their 
neighbors,  the  Sioux,  and  also  from  the  Chippewa  and  Ute.  Each 

Report  of  Secretary  of  the  Interior  for  1877,  vol.  i,  p.  455. 

2118°— 23 - 3 


14 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


[bull,,  go 


tribe  has  its  personal  characteristics  as  well  as  its  distinct  traditions 
and  customs.  The  principal  subject  under  investigation  was  the 
music  of  the  Mandan,  and  it  is  believed  that  the  songs  credited  to 
that  tribe  are  old  Mandan  melodies.  A  similar  number  believed  to 
be  purely  Hidatsa  was  not  collected ;  therefore  a  detailed  comparison 
of  the  music  of  the  two  tribes  is  not  undertaken  in  this  work.  It  is 
possible,  however,  to  make  a  tentative  comparison  of  the  Mandan 
with  the  mixed  material  through  the  comparative  group  analyses  on 
pages  10-26.  The  first  46  songs  are  believed  to  be  Mandan,  and  the 
remainder  are  designated  as  “  Mandan  and  Hidatsa,”  the  tribal 
origin  of  each  song,  when  known,  being  included  in  the  description 
of  the  song.  In  the  following  consideration  tlie  music  of  the  two 
tribes  is  regarded  as  a  unit. 

The  Mandan  and  Hidatsa  songs  show  in  abundance  certain  char-  * 
acteristics  which  were  noted  with  less  frequency  in  the  songs  previ¬ 
ously  analyzed.  Chief  among  these  is  the  rest  which  appears  in  19 
per  cent  of  these  songs.  A  rest  appeared  very  rarely  in  the  Chip¬ 
pewa  songs,  in  10  (less  than  one-half  of  1  per  cent)  of  the  Sioux 
songs,  and  in  13  (more  than  11  per  cent)  of  the  Ute  songs.  A  rest  in 
Indian  music  is  different  from  a  rest  in  the  music  of  civilization. 
The  tribes  of  Indians  thus  far  studied  by  the  writer,  when  singing, 
appear  to  take  breath  only  when  they  require  it,  not  at  stated  inter¬ 
vals,  and  the  taking  of  breath  is  almost  imperceptible.  Rests,  when 
they  occur,  are  intentional  and  part  of  the  song.^®  In  many  in¬ 
stances  it  appears  that  a  rest  is  introduced  to  give  variety  to  the 
melody,  though  there  are  occasional  instances  in  which  a  rest  occurs 
at  the  end  of  a  phrase.  Syncopations  {nota  legato)  occurred  in  5 
of  the  340  Chippewa,  songs,  in  3  of  the  240  Sioux  songs,  and  in  4 
of  110  Ute  songs,  but  appear  in  12  (11  per  cent)  of  the  present  series. 

A  glissando,  or  sliding  from  one  tone  to  another,  was  prominent 
in  Ute  singing,  but  not  used  in  any  marked  degree  by  the  Chippewa 
or  Sioux.  A  downward  glissando  appeared  in  the  Ute  songs  of  the 
bear  dance  and  was  said  to  imitate  the  sound  made  by  a,  bear,  and  an 
upward  glissando  was  used  by  them  in  songs  connected  with  the 
hand  game.  (See  Bull.  75,  Bur.  Amer.  Ethn.,  pp.  58  and  175.)  In  the 
present  series  a  glissando  appears*  only  in  the  Mandan  songs  (see 
analysis  of  No.  1),  and  appears  chiefly  at  the  end  of  a  phrase,  the 
final  tone  of  these  songs  being  followed  by  a  sliding  downward  of  the 
voice,  the  degree  varying  from  a  whole  tone  to  a  fourth  and  being 
the  same  in  all  renditions  of  the  song.  This  glissando,  as  well  as 


38  same  peculiarity  has  been  noted  in  the  music  of  India.  “  Rests  are  seldom 
written  (except  in  order  to  break  up  the  meter  intentionally  in  a  dramatic  way)  in  any 
of  their  songs,  at  any  rate  not,  as  we  should,  on  account  of  the  words  :  .  .  .  They 
appear  to  take  breath  when  they  want  to  take  it,  not  at  the  end  of  words.”  Fox 
Strangways,  Music  of  Hindostan,  pp.  192-193. 


dbnsmorb] 


MANDAN  AND  HIDATSA  MUSIC 


15 


the  pitch  on  which  it  ends,  is  not  sufficiently  definite  for  musical 
transcription.  A  peculiarity  not  observed  in  the  songs  of  other 
tribes  is  the  ending  on  an  unaccented  part  of  the  measure,  the  tone 
not  being  prolonged  into  the  following  measure.  This  appears  in  24 
per  cent  of  these  songs.  A  duplication  of  songs  by  different  singers 
was  more  frequent  than  among  other  tribes,  suggesting  that  only  a 
limited  number  of  the  old  songs  remain  at  the  present  time.  The 
duplication  of  words  was  also  more  frequent,  the  same  words  being 
used  with  different  melodies  (see  analysis  of  No.  58). 

The  “  special  signs  ”  used  in  the  transcriptions  are  the  same  as  in 
previous  works,  and  the  custom  of  writing  the  final  measure  as  a 
complete  measure  is  continued,  except  in  songs  which  begin  with 
an  incomplete  measure  and  have  no  break  in  the  time  between  the 
renditions. 

The  analysis  of  the  songs  according  to  their  key  has  been  discon¬ 
tinued.^^  The  chief  purpose  of  this  analysis  was  to  test  the  range 
of  the  singers’  voices.  From  the  720  songs’  analyzed  in  this  manner 
it  was  found  that  A  was  the  tone  most  frequently  used  as  keynote, 
next  in  frequency  being  G  and  F.  Other  tables  discontinued  are 
those  treating  of  the  tempo  of  voice  and  drum.^®  From  the  analysis 
of  710  songs  it  appears  that  the  largest  proportions  of  voice  tempo 
were  J  =  72  to  J  =  96,  and  that  the  largest  proportions  of  drum  tempo 
were  slightly  faster,  being  J=92  to  J=120.  The  tempo  of  the  voice 
is  slower  than  that  of  the  drum  in  32  per  cent  and  faster  than  that  of 
the  drum  in  16  per  cent  of  these  songs. 

The  form  of  graphic  representation  of  melody  by  means  of  a 
“  plot  ”  on  coordinate  vertical  and  horizontal  lines  is  used  in  this 
volume  only  briefly  for  the  purpose  of  comparison.^^  Two  slightly 
different  forms  have  been  devised  and  are  here  introduced,  the  first 
omitting  all  coordinates  and  showing  the  path  of  the  accented  melody 
tones  (pis.  11,  12),  and  the  second  using  the  horizontal  coordinates 
and  showing  the  progressions  of  unaccented  as  well  as  accented 
tones.^^ 

In  order  to  simplify  the  presentation  of  analyses  the  serial  num¬ 
bers  of  the  songs  in  their  several  classifications  are  placed  at  the 
conclusion  of  the  text  (pp.  178-184)  instead  of  at  the  end  of  each 
group  of  songs. 

See  analytical  table  No.  14  in  Bulls.  53,  61,  and  75,  Bur.  Amer.  Ethn.  In  these 
works  the  term  “  key  ”  was  “  used  in  its  broad  sense,  as  applicable  to  nonharmonic  mu¬ 
sic,  inclusive  of  modes.” 

Bull.  75,  Bur.  Amer.  Ethn.,  pp.  42,  43. 

S'*  See  analytical  tables  20,  21,  and  22,  Bulls.  53,  61,  and  75,  Bur.  Amer.  Ethn. ;  also 
Bull.  45,  Bur.  Amer.  Ethn.,  p.  11. 

^oBull.  75,  Bur.  Amer.  Ethn.,  pp.  48-51. 

See  Bull.  61,  Bur.  Amer.  Ethn.,  p.  53. 

^  See  p.  34. 

See  analyses  of  songs  72  and  92. 


16 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


[bull.  80 


Tabulated  Analysis  of  820  Chippewa,  Sioux,  Ute,  Mandan,  and 

Hidatsa  Songs  ^ 

MELODIC  analysis 
Table  1.— TONALITY 


Chippewa 

songs 

Sioux  songs 
recorded  by 
Chippewa 

Sioux  songs 

Ute  songs 

Mandan 

and 

Hidatsa 

songs 

Total 

• 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Major  tonality  ^ . 

195 

57 

11 

65 

93 

39 

78 

71 

65 

69 

442 

64 

44 

1 

Minor  tonality  ^ . 

142 

9 

45 

145 

60 

24 

22 

43 

39 

363 

Third  lacking . 

8 

7 

2 

2 

10 

Beginning  major,  ending 
minor . 

2 

1 

2 

Beginning  minor,  ending 
major . 

1 

1 

Irregular . 

2 

1 

2 

Total . 

340 

20 

240 

110 

110 

820 

1  The  serial  numbers  of  the  songs  as  grouped  in  these  tables  are  shown  on  pp.  178-184. 

*Songs  are  thus  classified  if  the  third  is  a  major  third  and  the  sixth  a  major  sixth  above  the  keynote. 
*Songs  are  thus  classified  if  the  third  is  a  minor  third  and  the  sixth  a  minor  sixth  above  the  keynote. 


Table  2.— FIRST  NOTE  OF  SONG— ITS  RELATION  TO  KEYNOTE 


Chippewa 

songs 

Sioux  songs 
recorded  by 
Chippewa 

Sioux  songs 

Ute  songs 

Mandan 

and 

Hidatsa 

songs 

Total 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Beginning  on  the — 

Fourteenth . 

1 

1 

Thirteenth . 

4 

1 

..  4 

Twelfth . 

105 

31 

2 

10 

28 

12 

4 

3 

4 

3 

143 

17 

Eleventh . 

3 

1 

1 

5 

7 

3 

1 

1 

2 

2 

14 

1 

Tenth . 

24 

7 

2 

10 

23 

10 

2 

2 

2 

2 

54 

7 

Ninth . 

16 

5 

9 

4 

3 

3 

28 

3 

Octave . 

61 

18 

6 

30 

56 

23 

31 

28 

34 

31 

188 

23 

Seventh . 

6 

2 

1 

5 

1 

1 

1 

4 

3 

13 

1 

Sixth . 

10 

3 

3 

1 

3 

3 

3 

3 

19 

2 

Fifth . 

72 

21 

3 

15 

69 

29 

34 

31 

24 

22 

201 

24 

Fourth . 

7 

2 

3 

1 

2 

2 

2 

2 

14 

1 

Third . 

10 

3 

2 

10 

18 

8 

17 

15 

19 

17 

66 

8 

Second . 

9 

3 

3 

1 

3 

3 

2 

2 

17 

2 

Keynote . 

13 

4 

3 

15 

17 

7 

9 

8 

14 

12 

56 

7 

Irregular . 

2 

1 

2 

Total . 

340 

20 

240 

110 

no 

820 

densmorb] 


mandan  and  hidatsa  music 


17 


MELODIC  ANALYSIS — Continued 
Table  3 —LAST  NOTE  OF  SONG— ITS  RELATION  TO  KEYNOTE 


Chippewa 

songs 

Sioux  songs 
recorded  by 
Chippewa 

Sioux  songs 

Ute  songs 

Mandan 

and 

Hidatsa 

songs 

Total 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Ending  on  the — 

Sixth . 

1 

1 

1 

Fifth . 

75 

22 

6 

20 

74 

31 

47 

43 

51 

47 

253 

30 

Third . 

36 

11 

1 

5 

35 

16 

8 

7 

17 

16 

97 

12 

Keynote . 

229 

67 

13 

65 

129 

54 

55 

50 

41 

27 

467 

57 

Irregular . 

2 

1 

2 

Total . 

340 

20 

240 

no 

• 

no 

820 

Table  4.— LAST  NOTE  OF  SONG— ITS  RELATION  TO  COMPASS  OF  SONG 


Chippewa 

songs 

Sioux  songs 
recorded  by 
Chippewa 

Sioux  songs 

Ute  songs 

Mandan 

and 

Hidatsa 

songs 

Total 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Songs  in  which  final  tone 
is— 

Lowest  tone  in  song. . . . 

Highest  tone  in  song _ 

Immediately  preceded 
by— 

Fifth  below . 

307 

1 

90 

18 

90 

212 

88 

77 

70 

101 

92 

715 

1 

87 

1 

1 

Fomth  below . 

9 

3 

3 

3 

1 

1 

13 

1 

Major  third  below. . 
Minor  third  below. . 

2 

1 

1 

1 

4 

7 

2 

2 

1 

5 

4 

14 

1 

Whole  tone  below.. 

5 

2 

7 

3 

5 

4 

17 

2 

Semitone  below .... 

3 

1 

2 

2 

2 

2 

7 

Whole  tone  below, 
with  sixth  below 
in  a  previous 

measure . 

1 

1 

Whole  tone  below, 
with  fourth  be¬ 
low  in  a  previous 

measure . 

1 

Whole  tone  below. 

6 

5 

7 

with  minor  third 
below  in  a  previ- 

Oils  measure _ 

1 

1 

1 

Songs  containing  a  fourth 
below  the  final  tone . 

3 

1 

4 

2 

1 

1 

1 

1 

9 

1 

18 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


[bull.  80 


MELODIC  ANALYSIS — Continued 

Table  4.— LAST  NOTE  OF  SONG— ITS  RELATION  TO  COMPASS  OF  SONG— Continued 


Chippewa 

songs 

Sioux  songs 
recorded  by 
Chippewa 

Sioux  songs 

Ute  songs 

Mandan 

and 

Hidatsa 

songs 

Total 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Songs  containing  a  major 
third  below  the  final  tone. 

4 

2 

2 

2 

2 

2 

8 

Songs  containing  a  minor 
third  below  the  final  tone. 

3 

1 

2 

10 

5 

2 

4 

It 

14 

t 

Songs  containing  a  whole 
t  one  below  the  final  tone. . 

2 

2 

1 

1 

3 

Songs  containing  a  semi¬ 
tone  below  the  final  tone. . 

1 

1 

1 

1 

2 

Songs  containing  a  fourth 
below  the  final  tone, 
with  fourth  below  in  a 
previous  measure . 

1 

1 

1 

Irregular . 

2 

1 

2 

Total . 

340 

20 

240 

110 

110 

820 

Table  5— NUMBER  OF  TONES  COMPRISED  IN  COMPASS  OF  SONG 


Chippewa 

songs 

Sioux  songs 
recorded  by 
Chippewa 

Sioux  songs 

Ute  songs 

Mandan 

and 

Hidatsa 

songs 

Total. 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Compass  of — 

Seventeen  tones . 

3 

1 

3 

Fifteen  tones . 

1 

1 

1 

Fourteen  tones . 

9 

3 

5 

2 

1 

1 

15 

2 

Thirteen  tones . 

29 

8 

17 

7 

2 

2 

6 

5 

54 

6 

Twelve  tones . 

103 

30 

3 

15 

41 

17 

10 

9 

12 

11 

169 

21 

Eleven  tones . 

31 

9 

5 

25 

9 

10 

9 

23 

21 

78 

9 

Ten  tones . 

38 

11 

4 

20 

39 

16 

10 

9 

14 

12 

105 

13 

Nine  tones . 

18 

6 

5 

25 

28 

12 

18 

16 

7 

6 

76 

9 

Eight  tones . 

71 

21 

2 

10 

83 

35 

34 

31 

27 

25 

217 

26 

Seven  tones . 

16 

5 

4 

2 

7 

6 

6 

6 

33 

A 

Six  tones . 

10 

3 

1 

5 

8 

3 

12 

11 

5 

4 

36 

4 

Five  tones . 

13 

A 

1 

3 

3 

9 

8 

26 

3 

Four  tones . 

2 

2 

1 

1 

1 

5 

Three  tones . 

2 

2 

2 

Total . 

340 

20 

240 

no 

110 

820 

DENS  more] 


MANDAN  AND  HIDATSA  MUSIC 


19 


MELODIC  ANALYSIS — Continued 
Table  6. — TONE  MATERIAL 


Chippewa 

songs 

Sioux  songs 
recorded  by 
Chippewa 

Sioux  songs 

Ute  songs 

Mandan 

and 

Hidatsa 

songs 

Total. 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

First  five-toned  scale . 

1 

1 

2 

Second  five-toned  scale . 

40 

12 

3 

15 

31 

13 

7 

6 

5 

4 

86 

10 

Fourth  five-toned  scale . 

88 

26 

6 

30 

43 

18 

20 

18 

20 

18 

177 

22 

Fifth  five-toned  scale . 

2 

2 

Major  triad . 

4 

1 

1 

5 

5 

3 

3 

13 

1 

Major  triad  and  seventh. . . . 
Major  triad  and  sixth . 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

4 

42 

12 

4 

2 

5 

5 

4 

3 

55 

7 

Major  triad  and  fourth . 

2 

3 

3 

3 

3 

8 

Major  triad  and  second . 

3 

1 

8 

3 

17 

15 

10 

9 

38 

5 

Minor  triad . 

1 

2 

1 

1 

1 

4 

Minor  triad  and  seventh. . . . 

3 

1 

1 

2 

2 

8 

7 

14 

1 

Minor  triad  and  sixth . 

6 

2 

1 

1 

7 

Minor  triad  and  fourth . 

18 

6 

1 

5 

30 

12 

4 

4 

6 

5 

59 

7 

Minor  triad  and  second . 

1 

1 

4 

3 

6 

Octave  complete . 

19 

6 

2 

10 

14 

6 

7 

6 

9 

8 

51 

6 

Octave  complete  except 

seventh . 

32 

9 

2 

10 

20 

8 

12 

.  11 

9 

8 

75 

5 

Octave  complete  except 

seventh  and  sixth . 

6 

2 

16 

/V 

5 

5 

27 

3 

Octave  complete  except 

seventh,  sixth,  and 
fourth . 

1 

1 

Octave  complete  except 

seventh,  fifth,  and  second. 
Octave  complete  except 

1 

1 

seventh,  third,  and  sec¬ 
ond  . 

1 

1 

1 

Octave  complete  except 

seventh  and  fourth  i . 

4 

1 

5 

2 

1 

1 

10 

1 

Octave  complete  except 

seventh  and  third . 

1 

1 

1 

1 

3 

Octave  complete  except 

seventh  and  second . 

11 

S 

1 

5 

9 

4 

3 

3 

2 

2 

26 

3 

Octave  complete  except 

sixth- . 

15 

A 

2 

10 

12 

5 

4 

3 

33 

A 

Octave  complete  except 

sixth  and  fifth . 

1 

5 

1 

Octave  complete  except 

sixth  and  fourth . 

1 

2 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

5 

Octave  complete  except 

fiiirt.h  and  third . 

1 

1 

Octave  complete  except 

jsixt.h  and  fjficond . 

1 

4 

2 

3 

3 

8 

Octave  complete  except 

sixth,  fifth,  and  second. . . 

1 

5 

1 

2 

1  These  songs  are  minor  in  tonaUty,  the  mediant  being  a  minor  third  and  the  submediant  being  a  minor 
sixth  above  the  keynote.  It  will  be  noted  that  the  seventh  and  fourth  are  the  omitted  scale  degrees  in  the 
fourth  five-toned  scale,  but  in  that  scale  the  third  and  sixth  above  the  keynote  are  major  intervals. 


20 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


[bull.  80 


MELODIC  ANALYSIS — Continued 

Table  6. — TONE  MATERIAL — Continued 


Chippewa 

songs 

Sioux  songs 
recorded  by 
Chippewa 

Sioux  songs 

Ute  songs 

Mandan 

and 

Hidatsa 

songs 

Total 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Octave  complete  except 

» 

fifth  and  second . 

1 

1 

Octave  complete  except 

■ 

fourth . 

5 

2 

10 

4 

3 

3 

6 

s 

24 

3 

Octave  complete  except 

fourth,  and  third . 

1 

1 

Octave  complete  except 

fourth  and  second . 

1 

3 

1 

3 

3 

7 

Octave  complete  except 

third . 

1 

1 

1 

2 

Octave  complete  except 

third  and  second . 

1 

1 

Octave  complete  except 

second . 

10 

8 

11 

5 

1 

1 

4 

3 

26 

.  3 

Minor  third  and  seventh _ 

1 

1 

1 

Minor  third  and  fourth . 

3 

1 

1 

1 

1 

5 

Minor  third,  seventh,  and 

fourth . 

2 

2 

2 

First,  fourth ,  and  fifth  tones. 

1 

1 

1 

2 

First,  second,  and  fifth 

tones . 

1 

1 

1 

2 

First,  second,  fourth,  and 

fifth  tones . 

1 

2 

2 

3 

First,  second,  fifth,  and 

sixth  tones . 

6 

2 

4 

4 

10 

1 

First,  second,  third,  and 

sixth  tones . 

9 

3 

1 

5 

2 

1 

1 

1 

13 

1 

340 

20 

240 

110 

110 

820 

Table  7.— ACCIDENTALS 


Chippewa 

songs 

Sioux  songs 
recorded  by 
Chippewa 

Sioux  songs 

Ute  songs 

Mandan 

and 

Hidatsa 

songs 

Total 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Songs  containing — 

No  accidentals . 

288 

85 

18 

90 

196 

82 

106 

96 

89 

88 

697 

86 

Seventh  raised  a  semi¬ 
tone . 

4 

1 

1 

5 

10 

4 

1 

1 

6 

5 

22 

5 

bfiNsMORE]  MANDAN  AND  HIDAtSA  MUSIC  21 


MELODIC  ANALYSIS — Continued 
Table  7. — ACCIDENTALS — Continued 


Chippewa 

songs 

Sioux  songs 
recorded  by 
Chippewa 

Sioux  songs 

Ute  songs 

Mandan 

and 

Hidatsa 

songs 

Total 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Songs  containing— Contd. 
Sixth  raised  a  sPiTnitnnfi 

9 

3 

1 

5 

3 

1 

1 

1 

14 

1 

Fourth  raised  a  semi¬ 
tone . 

2 

1 

6 

2 

3 

3 

5 

A 

16 

1 

Third  raised  a  semitone. 

1 

1 

1 

2 

Second  raised  a  semi¬ 
tone . 

3 

1 

3 

1 

2 

2 

8 

Seventh  lowered  a 

semitone . 

1 

3 

1 

3 

3 

7 

Sixth  lowered  a  semi¬ 
tone . 

16 

5 

5 

2 

1 

1 

22 

2 

Fifth  lowered  a  semi¬ 
tone . 

1 

1 

Fourth  lowered  a  semi¬ 
tone . 

2 

3 

1 

5 

Third  lowered  a  semi¬ 
tone . 

3 

1 

3 

1 

6 

Second  lowered  a  semi¬ 
tone . 

6 

2 

2 

1 

8 

Seventh  and  fourth 

raised  a  semitone . 

1 

1 

2 

2 

4 

Sixth  and  third  raised 

a  semitone . 

1 

1 

1 

Fourth  raised  a  semi¬ 
tone  and  second  low¬ 
ered  a  semitone . 

1 

Second  raised  a  semi¬ 
tone  and  sixth  and 

second  lowered  a 

semitone . 

1 

1 

1 

Fourth  raised  a  semi¬ 
tone  and  third  and 

second  lowered  a 

semitone . 

1 

Seventh  and  fourth 
lowered  a  semitone. . . 

1 

1 

Second,  third,  and 
sixth  lowered  a  semi¬ 
tone . 

1 

1 

2 

Irregular . 

2 

1 

Total . 

340 

20 

240 

no 

no 

820 

22 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


[bull.  80 


MELODIC  ANALYSIS — Continued 
Table  8.— STRUCTURE 


Chippewa 

songs 

Sioux  songs 
recorded  by 
Chippewa 

Sioux  songs 

Ute  songs 

Mandan 

and 

Hidatsa 

songs 

Total 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Melodic  1 . 

222 

65 

17 

85 

158 

66 

54 

49 

31 

28 

482 

59 

Melodic  with  harmonic 

framework  2 . 

35 

10 

3 

15 

47 

20 

32 

29 

44 

40 

161 

19 

Harmonic  * . 

83 

24 

33 

H 

24 

22 

35 

SO 

175 

21 

Irregular . . . . 

2 

2 

Total . 

340 

20 

240 

no 

no 

820 

1  Songs  are  thus  classified  if  contiguous  accented  tones  do  not  bear  a  simple  chord  relation  to  each  other. 

2  Songs  are  thus  classified  if  only  a  portion  of  the  contiguous  accented  tones  bear  a  simple  chord  relation 
to  each  other. 

3  Songs  are  thus  classified  if  all  the  contiguous  accented  tones  bear  a  simple  chord  relation  to  each  other. 

Table  9.— FIRST  PROGRESSION— DOWNWARD  AND  UPWARD 


Chippewa 

songs 

Sioux  songs 
recorded  by 
Chippewa 

Sioux  songs 

Ute  songs 

Mandan 

and 

Hidatsa 

songs 

Total 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Downward . 

238 

70 

12 

60 

165 

69 

76 

69 

56 

51 

547 

67 

Upward . 

102 

30 

8 

40 

75 

31 

34 

31 

54 

49 

273 

33 

Total . 

340 

20 

240 

no 

no 

820 

. 

Table  10.— TOTAL  NUMBER  OF  PROGRESSIONS— DOWNWARD  AND  UPWARD  i 


Chippewa 

songs 

Sioux  songs 
recorded  by 
Chippewa 

Sioux  songs 

Ute  songs 

Mandan 

and 

Hidatsa 

songs 

Total 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Downward . 

5,422 

65 

346 

64 

4,651 

63 

1,887 

61 

1,733 

63 

14,039 

64 

Upward . 

2, 864 

35 

198 

36 

2,674 

37 

1,226 

39 

1,038 

37 

8,000 

36 

Total . 

8,286 

544 

7,325 

3,113 

2, 771 

22,039 

1  In  a  group  of  Slovak  songs  analyzed  according  to  this  method  it  was  found  that  the  minor  third  occurred 
one-fourth  to  one-half  as  frequently  as  in  Indian  songs,  while  the  minor  second  occurred  from  three  to 
four  times  as  frequently.  (Bull.  75,  Bur.  Amer.  Ethn.,  p.  55.)  In  the  music  of  the  Hindusit  has  been 
found  that  “  The  augmented  Fourth  and  diminished  Fifth,  which  we  avoid,  are  common  with  them.  .  .  . 
No  less  surprising  than  the  presence  of  intervals  which  seem  to  us  unvocal  is  the  comparative  absence  of 
what  we  should  call  vocal  intervals— the  Thirds,  Perfect  Fourth  and  Fifth,  and  the  Sixths.  .  .  .  A  Third, 
in  fact,  is  habitually  taken  as  a  changing  note:  .  .  .  or  a  grace-note:  .  .  .  or,  especially  in  ascent,  nia  sort 
of  tentative  way:  .  .  .  indeed,  in  any  way  but  as  a  harmonic  interval.”  Fox  Strangways,  Music  of 
Hindostan,  pp.  324-325. 


DENS  more] 


MANDAN  AND  HIDATSA  MUSIC 


23 


MELODIC  ANALYSIS — Continued 
Table  11.— INTERVALS  IN  DOWNWARD  PROGRESSION 


Chippewa 

songs 

Sioux  songs 
recorded  by 
Chippewa 

Sioux  songs 

Ute  songs 

Mandan 

and 

Hidatsa 

songs 

Total 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Intervals  of  a — 

TweHth . 

1 

1 

Ninth . 

1 

1 

Octave . 

2 

2 

Seventh . 

2 

2 

Major  sixth . 

12 

1 

13 

Minor  sixth . 

6 

9 

5 

20 

Fifth . 

59 

1 

3 

26 

1 

30 

2 

10 

128 

Fourth . 

421 

8 

22 

6 

525 

11 

281 

13 

239 

14 

1,488 

10 

Major  third . 

628 

Ih 

4 

1 

343 

7 

243 

15 

206 

14 

1,424 

10 

Minor  third . 

1,824 

34 

114 

S3 

1,396 

30 

446 

24 

567 

33 

4,347 

31 

Augmented  second . 

1 

5 

2 

8 

Major  second . 

2,472 

42 

198 

57 

2,085 

45 

824 

44 

612 

34 

6, 191 

44 

Minor  second . 

4 

1 

264 

6 

54 

3 

92 

5 

414 

3 

Total . 

5,422 

346 

4, 651 

1,887 

1,733 

14,039 

Table  12.— INTERVALS  IN  UPWARD  PROGRESSION 


Chippewa 

songs 

Sioux  songs 
recorded  by 
Chippewa 

Sioux  songs 

Ute  songs 

Mandan 

and 

Hidatsa 

songs 

Total 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Intervals  of  a — 

Fomteenth . 

1 

1 

Twelfth . 

17 

17 

Eleventh . 

3 

1 

4 

Tenth . 

4 

1 

6 

3 

14 

Ninth . 

2 

2 

1 

6 

4 

14 

Octave . 

43 

1 

2 

1 

63 

2 

12 

1 

14 

1 

134 

1 

Seventh . 

9 

13 

4 

2 

28 

Major  sixth . 

47 

2 

1 

16 

12 

1 

14 

1 

90 

1 

Minor  sixth . 

3 

1 

30 

1 

22 

2 

20 

2 

75 

Fifth . 

196 

7 

11 

6 

151 

6 

89 

7 

50 

5 

497 

6 

Fourth . 

388 

14 

31 

16 

422 

16 

198 

16 

233 

23 

1,272 

16 

Major  third . 

345 

12 

9 

4 

271 

10 

171 

14 

123 

12 

919 

11 

Minor  third . 

800 

29 

51 

26 

710 

27 

246 

20 

281 

27 

2, 088 

26 

Major  second . 

1,009 

35 

85 

43 

818 

31 

439 

36 

256 

25 

2,607 

33 

Minor  second . 

2 

1 

167 

6 

29 

2 

42 

4 

240 

3 

Total . 

2,864 

198 

2,674 

1,226 

1,038 

8,000 

24 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAIT  ETHNOLOGY 


[bull..  80 


MELODIC  ANALYSIS — Continued 


Table  13.— AVERAGE  NUMBER  OF  SEMITONES  IN  AN  INTERVAL 


Chippewa 

songs 

Sioux 

songs 

recorded 

by 

Chippewa 

Old 

Sioux 

songs 

Compar¬ 

atively 

modern 

Sioux 

songs 

Ute 

songs 

Mandan 

and 

Hidatsa 

songs 

Total 

Number  of  songs . 

340 

20 

147 

93 

110 

no 

820 

Number  of  intervals . 

8,286 

544 

4,445 

2,880 

3,113 

2,771 

22, 039 

Number  of  semitones . 

Average  number  of  semitones  in 

25,791 

1,592 

12,864 

8,558 

9,777 

9,080 

67, 662 

an  interval . 

3.1 

2.93 

2.89 

2.97 

3.14 

3.27 

3.07 

RHYTHMIC  ANALYSIS 

Table  14.— PART  OF  MEASURE  ON  WHICH  SONG  BEGINS 


Chippewa 

songs 

Sioux  songs 
recorded  by 
Chippewa 

Sioux  songs 

Ute  songs 

Mandan 

and 

Hidatsa 

songs 

Total 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Beginning  on  unaccented 
part  of  measure . 

109 

S7 

12 

60 

96 

40 

60 

25 

23 

47 

43 

57 

289 

87 

Beginning  on  accented  part 
of  measure . 

189 

63 

8 

iO 

lU 

85 

76 

63 

489 

63 

Transcribed  in  outline . 

42 

42 

Total . 

340 

20 

240 

no 

no 

820 

Table  15.— RHYTHM  (METER)  OF  FIRST  MEASURE 


* 

Chippewa 

songs 

Sioux  songs 
recorded  by 
Chippewa 

Sioux  songs 

Ute  songs 

Mandan 

and 

Hidatsa 

songs 

Total 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

First  measure  in — 

2-4  time. . . 

149 

50 

9 

43 

142 

59 

68 

62 

61 

55 

429 

55 

3-4  time . 

120 

40 

6 

30 

94 

39 

39 

35 

47 

43 

305 

39 

4-4  time . 

9 

3 

9 

1 

5-4  time . 

9 

3 

4 

20 

13 

1 

64:  time . . . 

1 

1 

74  time . 

2 

2 

3-8  time . 

4 

2 

4 

4-8  time . 

3 

1 

2 

2 

5 

5-8  time . 

2 

1 

5 

1 

i 

1 

1 

1 

1 

6 

7-8  time. . 

1 

1 

1 

2-2  time . 

2 

2 

Transcribed  in  outline  i . 

42 

42 

340 

20 

240 

no 

no 

820 

1  Excluded  in  computing  percentage. 


DENS  more] 


MAHDAN  AND  HIDATSA  MUSIC 


25 


RHYTHMIC  ANALYSIS — Continued 

Table  16.— CHANGE  OF  TIME  (MEASURE-LENGTHS) 


Chippewa 

songs 

Sioux  songs 
recorded  by 
Chippewa 

Sioux  songs 

Ute  songs 

'  Mandan 
and 

Hidatsa 

songs 

Total 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

• 

Songs  containing  no  change 
of  time . 

69 

1 

5 

18 

8 

12 

11 

20 

18 

120 

15 

Songs  containing  a  change 
of  time . 

229 

77 

19 

95 

222 

92 

98 

89 

90 

82 

658 

85 

Transcribed  in  outline  ’ . 

42 

42 

Total . 

340 

20 

240 

110 

110 

820 

1  Excluded  in  computing  percentage. 

Table  17.— RHYTHMIC  UNITi 


Chippewa 

songs 

Sioux  songs 
recorded  by 
Chippewa 

Sioux  songs 

Ute  songs 

Mandan 

and 

Hidatsa 

songs 

Total 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Niun- 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Songs  containing — 

No  rhythmic  unit . 

107 

36 

7 

35 

71 

29 

27 

25 

33 

30 

245 

SO 

One  rhythmic  unit . 

186 

62 

10 

50 

139 

57 

60 

55 

66 

60 

461 

56 

Two  rhythmic  imits _ 

4 

1 

3 

15 

25 

10 

20 

18 

9 

8 

61 

8 

Three  rhythmic  units . . 

1 

3 

1 

3 

3 

2 

2 

9 

1 

Four  rhythmic  rmits . . . 

1 

1 

Five  rhythmic  units . . . 

1 

1 

Transcribed  in  outUne  * . 

42 

42 

Total . 

340 

20 

240 

110 

110 

820 

1  For  the  purpose  of  this  analysis  a  rhythmic  unit  is  defined  as  ''a  group  of  tones  of  various  lengths,  usually 
comprising  more  than  one  cormt  of  a  measure,  occurring  two  or  more  times  in  a  song  and  having  an  evident 
influence  on  the  rhythm  of  the  entire  song.” 

*  Excluded  in  computing  percentage. 

Table  18.— RHYTHM  OF  DRUM,  MORACHE,  OR  RATTLE 


Chippewa 

songs 

Sioux  songs 
recorded  by 
Chippewa 

Sioux  songs 

Ute  songs 

Mandan 
and  ■ 

■  Hidatsa 
songs 

Total 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Sixteenth  notes  imaccented  ’ 

1 

/ 

1 

2 

1 

2 

3 

Eighth  notes  accented  in 

groups  of  two  2 . 

10 

4 

11 

9 

2 

4 

23 

5 

Eighth  notes  unaccented 

89 

40 

12 

60 

42 

34 

23 

35 

13 

30 

179 

38 

Quarter  notes  unaccented  *.  j 

12 

5 

44 

36 

30 

46 

19 

61 

105 

22 

’See  No.  2.  *  See  No.  31.  ^seeNo.  32.  «  See  No,  37, 


26 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


[bull.  80 


RHYTHMIC  ANALYSIS — Continued 


Table  18.— RHYTHM  OF  DRUM,  MORACHE,  OR  RATTLE— Continued 


Chippewa 

songs 

Sioux  songs 
recorded  by 
Chippewa 

Sioux  songs 

Ute  songs 

Mandan 

and 

Hidatsa 

songs 

Total 

• 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Half  notes  imaccented  ^ . 

1 

2 

10 

2 

3 

1 

2 

6 

1 

Each  accented  beat  pre- 

ceded  by  an  unaccented 
beat  which  corresponds 
approximately  to  the 
third  count  of  a  triplet  ®. . 

96 

43 

6 

30 

22 

18 

5 

8 

7 

9 

136 

29 

Each  accented  beat  followed 

by  an  unaccented  beat 
which  corresponds  ap¬ 
proximately  to  the  second 
coimt  of  a  triplet  ^ . 

2 

1 

2 

3 

4 

t 

Each  accented  beat  pre- 

ceded  by  an  imaccented 
beat  which  corresponds 
to  the  fourth  member  of  a 
group  of  four  sixteenth 
notes  8 . 

14 

6 

14 

S 

Tremolo  drum  beat  in  open- 

ing  measures,  followed  by 
drum  beat  in  quarter- 
note  values  ® . 

4 

5 

4 

Two  drum  beats  in  each 

/ 

measure,  the  voice  being 
in  triple  time  lo . 

1 

2 

1 

Drum  not  recorded  n . 

116 

118 

45 

66 

345 

Total . 

340 

20 

240 

no 

no 

820 

5  See  No.  5.  9  See  Bull.  75,  Bur.  Amer.  Ethn.,  No.  72. 

6  See  No.  50.  lo  See  No.  3. 

7  See  Bull.  53,  Bur.  Amer.  Ethn.,  No.  11.  n  Excluded  in  computing  percentage. 

8  See  Bull.  53,  Bur.  Amer.  Ethn.,  No.  125. 

Analysis  of  Chippewa,  Sioux,  Ute,  Mandan,  and  Hidatsa  Songs 

The  purpose  of  this  chapter  is  to  present  in  descriptive  form  the 
more  important  data  contained  in  the  tabulated  analyses  immediately 

Attention  is  directed  to  the  impossibility  of  presenting  in  a  graphic  manner  the  exact 
pitch  or  tone  lengths  of  all  Indian  singing.  (Cf.  tone  photographs  of  Indian  singing  in 
Bull.  75,  Bur.  Amer.  Ethn.)  Ordinary  musical  notation  is  here  used,  with  a  few  special 
signs,  because  it  is  approximately  correct  in  a  large  majority  of  songs,  and  is  readily 
intelligible  to  students  of  this  subject.  The  same  notation  is  used  by  Fox  Strangways 
in  his  work  upon  the  music  of  Hindostan  with  this  explanation  :  “  It  is  but  little,  in  any 
case,  of  language,  whether  spoken  or  chanted,  that  symbols  can  recreate  for  us.  .  .  . 
One  caution  with  regard  to  these  tunes.  It  would  be  a  mistake  to  play  them  on  a  keyed 
instrument ;  they  should  be  played  on  the  violin,  or  sung,  or  whistled,  or  merely  thought. 
Not  only  because  there  is  then  a  hope  of  their  being  rendered  in  natural  intonation  and 
of  getting  the  sharp  edges  of  the  tones  rounded  by  some  sort  of  portamento,  but  also 
because  the  temperament  of  a  keyed  instrument  in  Europe  the  piano,  in  India  the  har¬ 
monium,  has  a  unique  power  of  making  an  unharmonized  melody  sound  invincibly  com¬ 
monplace.”  Fox  Strangways,  op.  cit.,  p.  18. 


densmore] 


MANDAN  AND  HIDATSA  MUSIC 


27 


preceding  and  also  to  present  comparisons  between  the  several 
classes  of  Mandan  and  Hidatsa  songs,  these'  comparisons  not  being 
shown  in  tabulated  form. 

Table  1. — Tonality. — On  comparing  the  tonality  of  Mandan  and 
Hidatsa  songs  with  that  of  songs  previously  analyzed  we  note  that 
the  proportion  of  major  songs  is  20  per  cent  larger  than  among  the 
Sioux  and  12  per  cent  smaller  than  among  the  Ute,  while  it  is  about 
the  same  as  among  the  Chippewa. 

A  comparison  of  the  several  groups  of  Mandan  and  Hidatsa  songs 
shows  that  the  major  tonality  predominates  in  the  garden  songs, 
in  the  songs  of  women’s  societies,  and  in  those  of  the  Stone  Hammer, 
Buffalo,  and  Horse  Societies.  Major  and  minor  are  almost  equal  in 
songs  of  the  Dog  and  Fox  Societies. 

Tables  2  and  3. — Beginning  and  ending  of  songs. — Forty-seven 
per  cent  of  the  Mandan  and  Hidatsa  songs  end  on  the  fifth,  con¬ 
trasted  with  26  per  cent  of  the  combined  Chippewa  and  Sioux,  and 
31  per  cent  of  the  Ute  songs.  Thirty-one  per  cent  begin  on  the 
octave  and  12  per  cent  on  the  keynote,  contrasted  with  21  per  cent 
and  5  per  cent  in  the  combined  Chippewa  and  Sioux  songs,  and  with 
28  and  8  per  cent  in  the  Ute  songs.  This  suggests  a  stronger  feeling 
for  a  fundamental  tone  and  its  principal  upper  partials  in  the  Man¬ 
dan  and  Hidatsa  songs  than  in  those  previously  analyzed. 

The  ending  on  the  fifth  is  especially  marked  in  Mandan  and  Hi¬ 
datsa  songs  of  the  Stone  Hammer  and  Fox  Societies. 

Table  4. — Last  note  of  song — its  relation  to  compass  of  song. — 
The  principal  interest  of  this  table  is  in  the  proportion  of  songs  in 
which  the  final  tone  is  the  lowest  tone.  In  this  peculiarity  the  Man¬ 
dan  and  Hidatsa  songs  show  a  larger  proportion  than  any  previously 
analyzed.  This  is  a  further  indication  of  the  feeling  for  a  funda¬ 
mental  tone,  mentioned  in  connection  with  the  table  next  preceding. 

Table  5. — Number  of  tones  comprising  compass  of  song. — The 
Mandan  and  Hidatsa  songs  contain  neither  the  extended  compass 
found  in  certain  Sioux  songs  (15  and  17  tones),  nor  the  very  small 
compass  of  certain  Ute  songs  (three  and  four  tones).  They  differ 
from  the  preceding  songs  chiefly  in  their  large  proportion  of  songs 
with  a  compass  of  five  tones. 

Comparing  the  several  groups  of  Mandan  and  Hidatsa  songs,  we 
note  a  large  compass  (an  octave  or  more)  in  the  songs  of  societies, 
in  the  garden  songs,  and  in  songs  of  war.  An  average  compass 
(about  an  octave)  occurs  in  songs  of  the  Buffalo  and  Horse  Socie¬ 
ties,  and  a  small  compass  (less  than  an  octave)  is  found  in  the 
songs  connected  with  eagle  catching. 

I 


28 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


[BULU  80 


Table  6. — Tone  material. — The  five-toned  scales  mentioned  in  this 
table  and  in  the  descriptive  analyses  are  the  five  pentatonic  scales 
according  to  Helmholtz,  described  by  him  as  follows: 

“  1.  The  First  Scale  without  Third  or  Seventh.  .  .  . 

“  2.  To  the  Second  Scale ^  without  Second  or  Sixth,  belong  most 
Scotch  airs  which  have  a  minor  character.  .  .  . 

“3.  The  Third  Scale.,  without  Third  and  Sixth.  .  .  . 

“4.  To  the  Fourth  Scale.,  without  Fourth  or  Seventh,  belong  most 
Scotch  airs  which  have  the  character  of  a  major  mode. 

5.  The  Fifth  Scale.,  without  Second  and  Fifth.” 

The  proportion  of  Mandan  and  Hidatsa  songs  containing  five  tones 
(scale  degrees)  is  smaller  than  that  in  Chippewa  and  Sioux  songs 
and  larger  than  in  the  Ute  songs.  The  proportion  of  these  songs  con¬ 
taining  less  than  five  tones  is  10  per  cent  larger  than  in  the  Chippewa 
and  Sioux  songs,  and  about  the  same  as  in  the  Ute.  As  the  Chippewa 
and  Sioux  have  been  in  contact  with  the  music  of  the  white  race 
longer  than  the  other  tribes  under  consideration,  we  might  infer  that 
paucity  of  melodic  material  is  a  characteristic  of  the  older  native 
songs.  This  inference,  however,  is  not  upheld  by  the  following  com¬ 
parison  between  the  groups  of  Mandan  and  Hidatsa  songs. 

Seventy  per  cent  of  the  Mandan  and  Hidatsa  war  songs  and  39 
per  cent  of  the  society  songs  are  five-toned  melodies,  but  the  latter 
are  not  songs  of  the  societies  said  to  haA^e  been  organized  by  Good 
Fur  Robe,  which  are  presumably  the  older  songs.  In  this  group  only 
20  per  cent  are  five-toned  melodies.  Seven  of  the  12  eagle-catching 
songs  contain  either  three  or  four  scale  degrees.  Every  group  except 
the  last  (Nos.  103-110)  contains  one  song  having  all  the  tones  of 
the  octave.  It  is  interesting  to  note,  in  this  connection,  that  37  per 
cent  of  the  Ute  songs  contain  only  four  scale  degrees. 

Table  7. — Accidentals. ^ — In  the  proportion  of  songs  containing  no 
accidentals  the  Mandan  and  Hidatsa  are  lower  than  any  preceding 
series,  differing,  however,  only  1  per  cent  from  the  Sioux.  These 
accidentals  do  not,  in  any  instance,  suggest  a  change  of  keynote,  or 
“  key,”  but  appear  to  be  in  the  nature  of  embellishments. 

The  largest  proportion  of  accidentals  in  the  Mandan  and  Hidatsa 
songs  is  found  in  the  songs  of  Good  Fur  Robe’s  societies,  about  one- 
third  of  which  contain  tones  chromatically  altered.  Next  in  propor¬ 
tion  are  the  songs  of  other  societies  (Nos.  58-76),  less  than  one- fourth 
of  which  contain  accidentals. 

Table  8. — Structure. — The  percentage  of  harmonic  and  also  of 
purely  melodic  songs  is  smaller  in  the  Mandan  and  Hidatsa  than  in 
previous  groups,  a  large  increase  being  shown  in  the  “  mixed  group,” 
whose  structure  is  classified  as  “  melodic  with  harmonic  framework.” 


Helmholtz,  The  Sensations  of  Tone,  pp.  260,  261. 


dbnsmore] 


MANDAN  AND  HIDATSA  MUSIC 


29 


The  percentage  of  such  songs  is  four  times  that  of  the  Chippewa  and 
double  that  of  the  Sioux. 

In  the  Mandan  and  Hidatsa  songs  a  harmonic  structure  predomi¬ 
nates  in  songs  of  the  Dog  and  Fox  Societies,  and  in  the  songs  connected 
with  eagle  catching.  All  the  songs  of  the  Buffalo  and  Horse  Societies 
are  melodic  in  structure,  while  the  garden  songs  and  war  songs  are 
chiefly  melodic. 

Tables  9  and  10. — First  'progression,  and  total  number  of  progres¬ 
sions, — The  proportion  of  songs  beginning  with  a  downward  interval 
is  much  smaller  in  the  Mandan  and  Hidatsa  than  in  songs  previously 
analyzed,  the  proportion  in  this  series  being  51  per  cent  and  in  pre¬ 
vious  series  from  60  to  70  per  cent,  but  the  proportion  of  descending 
progressions  in  the  total  number  of  intervals  is  about  the  same,  being 
precisely  that  of  the  Sioux  and  within  2  per  cent  of  that  of  the 
Chippewa  and  Ute.  This  indicates  that,  although  more  of  the  Man¬ 
dan  and  Hidatsa  songs  begin  with  an  ascending  interval,  they  have, 
in  their  entirety,  the  same  descending  trend  that  characterizes  the 
music  of  the  other  tribes. 

Tables  11  and  12. — Intervals  in  up'ward  and  down'ward  progres¬ 
sion, — Intervals  larger  than  a  tenth  are  used  only  by  the  Chippewa, 
and  intervals  larger  than  a  major  sixth  are  used  more  frequently  by 
the  Chippewa  than  by  the  other  tribes  under  consideration.  The 
interval  of  a  semitone,  which  seldom  occurs  in  the  Chippewa  songs, 
appears  most  frequently  in  the  Sioux  songs.  The  proportion  of 
descending  fourths  is  much  larger  in  Mandan  and  Hidatsa  songs  than 
in  those  of  the  other  tribes,  while  the  proportion  of  ascending  fourths 
is  much  larger  than  in  the  Ute,  but  about  the  same  as  in  the  Chippewa 
and  Sioux  songs.  The  fifth  occurs  oftener  in  ascending  and  less 
frequently  in  descending  progression  in  the  Mandan  and  Hidatsa 
than  in  the  preceding  series,  while  the  ascending  octave  occurs  with 
about  the  same  frequency  in  all  the  songs  under  analysis.  This  indi¬ 
cates  there  is  no  important  difference  in  the  intervals  used  by  these 
tribes. 

Table  13. — Average  number  of  semitones  in  an  interval. — The  aver¬ 
age  interval  in  Mandan  and  Hidatsa  songs  does  not  show  an  im¬ 
portant  variation  from  that  of  the  other  songs  under  analysis.  The 
average  interval  in  the  entire  series  is  approximately  a  minor  third. 

Tables  14  and  15. — Part  of  measure  on  'which  song  begins.,  and 
rh'ythm  of  first  measure. — The  Mandan  and  Hidatsa  songs  do  not 
show  the  directness  of  attack  which  characterized  the  Ute  songs,  but 
the  proportion  beginning  on  the  accented  part  of  the-  measure  does 
not  vary  materially  from  the  Chippewa  and  Sioux.  The  preference 
for  a  beginning  in  3-4  time  is  greater  in  the  Mandan  and  Hidatsa 
than  in  the  other  songs  under  analysis, 

2118°— 23 - 1 


30 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


[bull.  80 


Table  16. — Change  of  time  (measure  lengths). — The  proportion 
of  Mandan  and  Hidatsa  songs  containing  no  change  of  time  is 
the  same  as  in  the  Sioux,  smaller  than  in  the  Chippewa,  and  larger 
than  in  the  XJte. 

Comparing  the  several  classes  of  Mandan  and  Hidatsa  songs,  we 
note  a  persistent  change  of  time  in  songs  connected  with  eagle  catch¬ 
ing,  songs  of  the  societies,  and  miscellaneous  songs,  while  the  war 
songs  contain  more  than  the  usual  proportion  in  which  there  is  no 
change  of  time. 

Table  17. — Rhythmic  unit. — The  term  ‘‘rhythmic  unit”  should 
be  understood  as  somewhat  flexible  in  its  application.^  In  a  song 
with  definite  thematic  development  the  term  is  applicable  in  its 
full  meaning.  There  are,  however,  many  songs  in  which  a  repeti¬ 
tion  of  the  opening  phrase  is  designated  as  a  rhythmic  unit,  and  in 
such  instances  a  reason  will  be  found  in  the  influence  which  the 
phrase  has  upon  the  rhythm  of  the  entire  song,  certain  of  its  count 
divisions  being  separately  repeated,  slightly  changed,  and  variously 
combined.  In  a  few  instances  it  will  be  noted  that  a  short  phrase 
occurring  twice  is  not  designated  as  a  rhythmic  unit,  the  reason  being 
that  the  phrase  is  characterless,  and  evidently  has  had  no  influence 
on  the  rest  of  the  song. 

One-third  of  the  Mandan  and  Hidatsa  songs  contain  no  rhythmic 
unit.  This  proportion  is  lower  than  in  the  Chippewa  and  Sioux 
and  higher  than  in  the  Ute  songs.  Fifty-seven  per  cent  of  the 
Mandan  and  Hidatsa  songs  contain  one  rhythmic  unit,  which  is  the 
same  as  the  Sioux  and  less  than  the  Chippewa  and  Ute.  The  tribal 
groups  show  a  wide  difference  in  songs  containing  two  rhythmic 
units,  this  difference  ranging  from  1  per  cent  in  the  Chippewa  to 
18  per  cent  in  the  Ute.  It  is  important  to  note  that  the  Chippewa 
may  be  considered  the  tribe  that  is  farthest  advanced  toward  civi¬ 
lization,  while  the  Ute  is  lowest  in  that  scale  of  attainment. 

Few  of  the  Mandan  and  Hidatsa  garden  songs  contain  a  rhythmic 
unit,  but  in  the  songs  of  eagle  catching  and  in  all  the  songs  of 
societies  a  rhythmic  unit  appears  with  frequency.  Half  of  the 
Mandan  and  Hidatsa  war  songs  contain  a  rhythmic  unit.  This 
is  in  contrast  to  the  Chippewa  war  songs,  TO  per  cent  of  which  con¬ 
tain  a  rhythmic  unit,  and  the  Sioux  war  songs,  64  per  cent  of  which 
show  such  a  unit. 

Table  18. — Rhythm  of  drum. — Among  the  Mandan  and  Hidatsa 
the  drum  appears  to  be  used  chiefly  to  mark  the  time  of  the  song. 
It  is  usually  synchronous  with  the  voice.  There  is  a  lack  of  the 
elaboration  which  was  shown  by  the  special  drumbeat  for  each  sort 


^  Terminology,  throughout  the  present  study  of  Indian  music,  is  intended  chiefly  as  a 
guide  to  tlie  student  and  a  means  of  calling  attention  to  certain  peculiarities  which  seem 
of  interest  and  importance  in  the  study  of  Indian  music. 


DENS  more] 


MANDAN  AND  HIDATSA  MUSIC 


31 


of  Ute  dance  song  and  by  the  several  distinct  drumbeats  of  the 
Chippewa  or  the  “  fancy  drumming  ”  noted  among  the  Sioux.  In 
87  per  cent  of  the  Mandan  and  Hidatsa  songs  the  drumbeat  is  with¬ 
out  division  into  accented  groups.  The  time  unit  is  a  quarter  note 
(one  drum  beat  with  each  melody  count)  more  frequently  than  it 
is  an  eighth  note  (two  drumbeats  with  each  melody  count).  In  one 
song,  which  is  in  triple  time,  we  find  two  drumbeats  in  each  meas¬ 
ure,  the  voice  and  drum  being  synchronous  on  the  first  count  of  the 
measure. 

Summary. — In  observing  this  material  as  a  whole  we  note  that 
the  accented  tones  in  41  per  cent  of  the  songs  suggest  a  fundamental 
tone  and  the  simplest  of  its  upper  partials — namely,  the.  octave, 
twelfth,  second  octave,  and  the  major  third  in  that  octave.  These 
tones,  if  placed  in  the  compass  of  one  octave,  constitute  the  major 
triad.  From  this  fact  it  appears  that  these  Indians  are  semicon- 
sciously  aware  of  certain  tones  which,  in  various  intensities,  are 
naturally  present  in  other  tones  and  that  they  find  pleasure  in  these 
tones,  amplifying  them  by  other  tones  according  to  their  liking.  The 
minor  third  is  the  interval  of  most  frequent  occurrence  except  the 
major  second  and  is  approximately  the  average  interval  in  the  songs 
under  consideration.  This  interval  appears  to  be  especially  pleasing 
to  uncultured  peoples  and  has  been  noted  by  explorers  as  well  as  by 
students  of  primitive  music.  It  seems  reasonable  to  conclude,  in 
view  of  these  observations,  that  a  semiconscious  conformity  to  natu¬ 
ral  law  and  a  certain  form  of  estheticism  are  governing  factors  in 
the  music  of  these  Indians. 

Resemblances  between  the  songs  of  the  Chippewa,  Sioux,  Mandan, 
and  Hidatsa  occur  more  frequently  than  between  these  tribes  and 
the  mountain-dwelling  Utes,  but  these  resemblances  are  not  suffi¬ 
cient,  either  in  number  or  importance,  to  justify  an  opinion  that  the 
physical  environment  of  these  tribes  has  had  an  effect  on  the  form  of 
their  songs.  On  the  contrary,  the  differences  between  the  classes  of 
Bongs  within  a  tribe  may  be  regarded  as  an  indication  that  the  mental 
concept  which  prompts  a  song  has  a  distinct  influence  on  the  melody 
and  rhythm  of  the  song. 

Points  of  difference  in  these  songs  are  noted  as  follows:  The 
Mandan  and  Hidatsa  songs  differ  from  those  of  the  other  tribes 
under  analysis  in  a  more  frequent  use  of  rests  and  syncopations 
(nota  legato^  and  in  a  downward  glissando  at  the  close  of  a  phrase 
or  of  the  entire  song.  The  five  tribes  under  analysis  differ  among 
themselves  chiefly  in  the  use  of  the  drum.  Certain  ordinary  drum¬ 
beats  are  used  by  all  the  tribes,  but  in  addition  to  these  each  tribe  has 
certain  peculiarities  of  drumming  which  are  more  or  less  pronounced. 
The  differences  between  the  songs  of  these  tribes  are  no  greater. 


32 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


[bull,  go 


and  even  may  be  said  to  be  less,  than  the  differences  between  some 
of  the  classes  of  songs  within  the  tribes. 

Comparative  Group  Analyses  of  Mandan  and  Hidatsa  Songs 

The  several  groups  of  these  songs  are  found  to  differ  among  them¬ 
selves  in  melodic  and  rhythmic  peculiarities.  These  differences  may 
not,  in  every  instance,  be  evident  to  the  unaccustomed  ear,  but  they 
appear  in  the  analyses  and  the  graphic  plots  of  the  songs.  Their 
presence  is  an  evidence  of  the  correctness  of  the  Indian  in  asserting 
that  he  ‘‘  can  tell  the  kind  of  song  when  he  hears  it.”  No  explana¬ 
tion  of  these  differences  is  offered,  nor  does  it  seem  necessary  at  this 
time  to  attribute  them  to  any  definite  causes. 

The  first  10  songs  are  those  of  the  societies  said  to  have  been  or¬ 
ganized  by  Good  Fur  Kobe,  and  they  may  therefore  be  considered 
among  the  oldest  songs  of  the  series.  Seven  of  these  songs  have  a 
range  of  more  than  an  octave,  7  have  a  rhythmic  unit,  and  18  per 
cent  of  the  entire  number  of  intervals  are  fourths.  In  other  respects 
the  songs  vary,  showing  no  group  characteristic.  The  songs  in  major 
and  minor  tonality  are  equal  in  number. 

Following  these  are  eight  songs  that  were  sung  in  the  gardens. 
These  are  a  distinct  type,  and  we  note  that  seven  are  major,  none 
have  a  compass  of  less  than  an  octave,  and  they  are  chiefly  melodic  in 
structure.  They  are  not  rhythmic  in  character  like  the  preceding 
group,  as  only  two  of  the  eight  songs  contain  a  rhythmic  unit; 
neither  do  they  resemble  the  former  songs  in  their  progressions,  as 
84  per  cent  of  the  entire  number  of  intervals  contain  two,  three^ 
or  four  semitones,  being  intervals  of  a  major  second,  a  minor  third, 
or  a  major  third. 

Following  this  group  are  the  songs  connected  with  eagle  catching, 
all  of  which  were  said  to  have  been  received  from  animals  and  to 
have  what  may  be  termed  “  supernatural  power.”  These  songs  have 
a  small  compass  and  large  progressions,  contrasted  with  the  group 
next  preceding,  in  which  the  compass  was  large  and  the  progres¬ 
sions  small.  Only  two  of  these  songs  have  a  range  of  more  than 
an  octave,  while  78  per  cent  of  the  intervals  contain  other  than  two, 
three,  or  four  semitones.  All  are  characterized  by  a  wide  variety 
of  progressions.  They  are  rhythmic  in  character,  all  but  two  having 
a  rhythmic  unit,  and  they  are  strongly  harmonic  in  feeling,  only 
two  of  the  12  songs  being  purely  melodic  in  structure. 

The  next  16  songs  (Nos.  31-46)  show  a  remarkable  evenness. 
This  section  includes  songs  of  legends,  folk  tales,  and  Mandan 
women’s  societies.  The  only  point  of  interest  is  that  all  but  three 
of  these  songs  contain  a  rhythmic  unit. 


DENS  more] 


MANDAN  AND  HIDATSA  MUSIC 


33 


With  the  next  songs  we  enter  the  Hidatsa  material  and  that  in 
which  the  two  tribes  are  more  or  less  mingled. 

The  11  songs  of  the  Stone  Hammer  and  Fox  Societies  follow,  and 
are  combined  for  convenience  of  observation.  We  note  that  43 
per  cent  of  the  intervals  are  whole  tones  (major  seconds),  an  un¬ 
usually  large  proportion  of  this  interval.  All  but  two  contain 
rhythmic  units,  are  major  in  tonality,  and  begin  with  a  downward 
progression.  The  next  11  songs  are  those  of  the  Dog  Society  in 
its  various  divisions  and  show  striking  peculiarities  of  their  own. 
Major  and  minor  are  about  equally  divided.  The  range  is  large, 
only  one  song  having  a  compass  as  small  as  an  octave,  while  one 
has  a  range  of  14  tones.  They  are  strongly  harmonic  in  feeling,,  only 
one  song  having  a  purely  melodic  structure.  Attention  is  directed 
to  the  feeling  for  the  dominant  in  these  songs,  five  of  which  begin 
and  eight  end  on  the  dominant.  Every  song  except  one  has  a 
rhythmic  unit  and  contains  a  change  of  measure  lengths. 

The  next  eight  songs  (Nos.  69-76)  are  in  some  respects  the  opposite 
of  the  preceding  group.  These  are  songs  of  the  Buffalo  and  Horse 
Societies,  all  of  which  are  melodic  in  structure.  All  but  two  are 
major  in  tonality  and  all  except  one  begin  on  the  accented  portion 
of  the  measure,  which  is  an  unusually  large  proportion.  Like  the 
other  songs  of  societies,  they  are  rhythmic  in  character  and  all  but 
two  contain  a  rh3d:hmic  unit. 

The  war  songs  (Nos.  77-102)  are  not  rhythmic  in  character,  only 
half  the  number  containing  a  rhythmic  unit.  In  six  of  these  songs 
there  is  no  change  of  measure  length,  which  indicates  an  unusually 
steady  time.  Fourteen  begin  with  an  upward  progression,  which  is 
a  proportion  larger  than  the  average.  In  these,  as  in  the  songs  of 
the  Buffalo  and  Horse  Societies,  there  is  a  strong  feeling  for  the 
dominant,  five  beginning  and  14  ending  on  that  tone.  Twelve  of 
these  songs  are  purely  melodic  in  structure. 

The  remaining  eight  songs  are  of  various  classes,  grouped  as  ‘‘  mis¬ 
cellaneous,”  and,  like  the  songs  connected  with  legends  and  folk  tales 
(Nos.  31  to  36),  they  are  quite  evenly  divided  in  all  their  character¬ 
istics.  Three  of  the  eight  contain  no  rhythmic  unit,  which  is  smaller 
than  the  average  percentage  indicated  in  Table  17,  page  25. 

Summary. — The  general  conclusion  from  the  foregoing  analysis 
is  that  many  of  the  groups  of  songs  have  individual  characteristics. 
It  is  interesting  to  note  that  the  songs  of  the  Dog  Society  are  chiefly 
harmonic  in  structure,  while  all  the  songs  of  the  Buffalo  and  Horse 
Societies  are  melodic.  The  contrast  between  these  groups  is  further 
shown  in  their  graphic  outlines  (pis.  11, 12).  Attention  is  directed  to 
the  lack  of  rhythmic  unit  in  the  war  songs,  combined  with  an  unusu¬ 
ally  large  proportion  of  songs  containing  no  change  of  measure 


34 


BUKEAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


[bull..  80 


lengths.  In  all  these  groups  we  note  that  songs  with  a  large  compass 
frequently  have  a  predominance  of  small  intervals  (one,  two,  three,  or 
four  semitones),  while  songs  with  a  small  compass  contain  an  unusu¬ 
ally  large  number  of  larger  intervals  (five  or  more  semitones). 

Graphic  Representation  or  “  Plots  ” 

Five  classes,  or  “  prevailing  types,”  were  noted  in  the  plots  of  the 
Sioux  songs.  The  first  two  are  general  throughout  the  songs  and 
do  not  appear  to  be  connected  with  any  particular  idea.  These  two 
classes  or  types  appear  also  in  the  present  series,  and  for  comparison 

the  Sioux  songs  selected  as  represen¬ 
tative  of  these  classes  are  here  re¬ 
printed  together  with  similar  songs 
of  the  Mandan  and  Hidatsa  (fig.  2). 

The  present  series  contains  no 
songs  of  sadness,  which  constituted 
Class  E  of  the  Sioux  songs.  Classes 
C  and  D  comprised  songs  expressing 
positiveness  or  self-confidence,  and 
songs  connected  wfith  animals,  each 
class  showing  a  peculiarity  of  out¬ 
line.  Songs  of  similar  nature  in  the 
present  series  show  somewhat  simi¬ 
lar  characteristics.  It  is  not  the  in¬ 
tention,  however,  to  attribute  undue  importance  to  a  connection  be¬ 
tween  the  idea  of  a  song  and  a  certain  outline. 

In  order  to  present  this  subject  in  a  form  which  is  more  con¬ 
venient  for  observation  the  coordinate  lines,  shown  in  figure  2,  are 
omitted  and  the  plots  are  reduced  in. size  (pis.  11,  12).  A  descending 

A  form  of  graphic  representation,  or  “  plotting,”  of  melodies  was  devised  by  the 
writer  in  order  that  the  trend  of  Indian  melodies  might  be  more  apparent  to  the  eye 
than  in  the  musical  transcriptions.  The  general  method  employed  is  similar  to  that 
used  in  showing  graphically  the  course  of  a  moving  object.  The  loci  of  the  object  at 
given  periods  of  time  are  determined  and  recorded,  the  several  positions  being  connected 
by  straight  lines.  In  any  use  of  this  method  the  interest  centers  in  the  several  points 
at  which  the  object  is  located,  it  being  understood  that  the  lines  connecting  these  points 
are  used  merely  as  an  aid  to  observation.  In  the  present  adaptation  of  this  method  the 
pitch  oif  the  accented  tones  in  a  melody  is  indicated  by  dots  placed  at  the  intersections 
of  coordinate  lines,  the  horizontal  coordinates  representing  scale  degrees  and  the  vertical 
coordinates  representing  measure  lengths.  These  dots  are  connected  by  straight  lines, 
though  the  course  of  the  melody  between  the  accented  tones  would,  in  many  instances, 
vary  widely  from  these  lines  if  it  were  accurately  plotted.  The  use  of  accented  tones 
exclusively  in  analyzing  these  songs  has  already  been  employed,  the  structure  of  the 
melodies  being  determined  by  the  pitch  of  contiguous  accented  tones  (see  Table  8,  foot¬ 
note).  Since  the  sole  purpose  of  these  plots  is  to  show  the  trend  of  the  melodies,  it 
seems  permissible  to  omit  from  the  representation  not  only  the  unaccented  tones,  but 
also  a  distinction  between  whole  tones  and  semitones  in  progressions  and  a  distinction 
between  double  and  triple  time  in  measure  lengths. 


- 

•r' 

— 

:  : 

. 

-j- 

Bull.  61,  NO'.  68.  Bull.  80,  No.  20. 

Fig.  2. — Plots  of  Sioux  songs  compared 
with  Mandan  and  Hidatsa  songs. 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


BULLETIN  80  PLATE  11 


Songs  of  Goose  Women  and  Black  Mouth  Societies 


Songs  connected  with  Eagle  Catching 


'W  ~v 

24  ,  25  26 


Songs  connected  with  Legends 


34 


35 


PLOTS  OF  MANDAN  AND  H I DATSA  SONGS 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


BULLETIN  80  PLATE  12 


Songs  of  Women’s  Societies 


Songs  of  Men’s  Societies 


War  Songs 


84 


Miscellaneous  Songs 


107 


109 


110 


PLOTS  OF  MANDAN  AND  H I DATSA  SONGS 


DENSMOUEJ 


MANDAN  AND  HIDATSA  MUSIC 


35 


trend  is  evident  in  all  the  classes  of  songs,  but  the  plots  selected  for 
illustration  are  those  most  typical  of  each  class. 

Another  form  of  plotting,  which  shows  all  the  progressions  in  the 
melody,  is  used  with  Nos.  72  and  92,  and  is  given  in  connection  with 
the  analyses  of  those  songs. 

GOOD  FUR  ROBE>^ 

Throughout  the  study  of  the  Mandan  and  Hidatsa  there  runs  an 
interesting  comparison  between  the  beliefs  which  were  held  by  these 
tribes  in  the  past  and  those  of  the  present  time.  An  instance  of  this 
is  afforded  by  the  beliefs  concerning  Good  Fur  Robe  and  the  story 
with  which  his  name  is  associated.  According  to  this  story  (p.  7) 
the  Mandans  once  lived  beneath  the  earth.  Good  Fur  Robe  is  said  to 
have  been  their  chief  at  that  time,  and  to  have  established  certain 
organizations  and  customs  for  the  good  of  the  tribe.  There  may  be 
persons  on  the  Fort  Berthold  Reservation  who  still  believe  the  story 
of  the  grapevine,  but  all  the  writer’s  informants  stated  that  it  is 
said'’'’  the  tribe  came  to  the  earth  in  this  manner,  declining  to  ex¬ 
press  a  personal  opinion  in  the  matter.  However,  when  asked 
whether  they  believed  that  Good  Fur  Robe  was  a  tradition  or  a  man, 
they  replied  without  hesitation  that  he  was  a  living  chief,  like  the 
other  chiefs,  but  much  wiser  than  they.  It  is  interesting  to  note  that 
the  beneficent  character  of  this  traditional  chief,  or  culture  hero,  has 
made  him  a  living  personality  in  the  minds  of  those  who,  from  con¬ 
tact  with  the  white  man,  have  lost  faith  in  the  old  legends.  He  is 
still  to  them  a  human  leader,  kindly,  far-sighted,  and  wonderful  in 
his  power. 

Good  Fur  Robe  always  strove  for  the  highest  good  of  the  people. 
He  wanted  them  to  have  plenty  of  corn  and  vegetables,  so  he  “  puri¬ 
fied  ”  the  seed,  making  it  fruitful ;  he  wanted  the  children  to  be 
healthy  and  the  young  men  to  succeed  in  war,  so  he  organized  the 
Goose  Women  Society,  which,  in  addition  to  its  other  functions,  had 
power  to  benefit  the  people  (see  pp.  39^7)  ;  and  he  wanted  the  village 
to  be  secure,  so  he  organized  the  Black  Mouth  Society  for  its  defence. 
Associated  with  Good  Fur  Robe  were  two  chiefs  and  their  “sister.” 
The  chief  next  in  power  was  Head  Rattle,  the  third  was  Rawhide 
Loop,  and  their  sister’s  name  was  Swinging  Corn. 

f 

The  Mandan  equivalent  of  this  word  was  given  by  James  Holding  Eagle  as  Mi'hisi, 
meaning  “  robe  with  heavy,  handsome  fur  on  it.”  Dr.  Gilbert  L.  Wilson,  in  personal 
conversation  with  the  writer,  stated  that  the  full  form  of  the  word  is  Mi’-he-hi’-si,  from 
mV-he,  robe,  M’,  fur,  and  si,  good,  and  that  ”  when  the  syllable  he  follows  a  vowel  it  is 
often  omitted,  or  nearly  so,  if  pronounced  rapidly.”  The  name  was  given  the  chief 
because  of  a  particularly  fine  fur  robe  which  he  wore.  Dr.  Gilbert  states  that  this  was 
the  hide  of  a  2-year-old  buffalo  cow,  and  that  the  chief  wore  it  with  the  hair  outside. 


36 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


[bull.  80 


The  Office  of  Corn  Priest 

The  corn  and  the  buffalo  were  the  chief  subsistence  of  the  Plains 
tribes,  and  the  extent  to  which  the  procuring  of  these  entered  into 
their  worship  is  an  interesting  study.  The  Omaha  appear  to  have 
had  the  most  highly  developed  rituals  and  beliefs  relating  to  the  corn 
and  its  cultivation.^®  There  are  corn  origin  myths  among  many 
Indian  tribes  and  a  wealth  of  corn  legends  in  the  southwest,  while 
the  Pueblos  have  many  clans  named  for  varieties  of  corn.  Among 
the  Mandan  and  Hidatsa  the  Corn  Priest  and  the  rites  associated 
with  him  constituted  the  agency  for  securing  an  abundant  supply  of 
corn;  and  buffalo  dances  were  held  by  the  people  as  a  means  of  ob¬ 
taining  these  animals  for  food.  Such  dances  were  distinct  from 
dances  of  the  Buffalo  Society  (p.  138)  and  formed  part  of  a  cere¬ 
mony  known  as  the  Okeepa.  The  Buffalo  dance  is  described  by  Maxi¬ 
milian^^  and  by  Catlin^®  in  connection  with  the  Okeepa.  Boiler 
mentions  a  similar  ceremony  called  the  Bull  Medicine,”  having  for 
its  object  the  securing  of  buffalo  and  also  success  in  war  and  in  the 
capture  of  horses.®^  The  origin  of  the  Dance  Society  is  given  on 
pages  84  and  85. 

Since  the  food  supply  was  a  constant  source  of  anxiety  to  primi¬ 
tive  people,  it  is  not  strange  that  a  man  who  claimed  to  control  that 
supply  was  regarded  as  a  man  of  supernatural  power.  It  is  impos¬ 
sible  to  translate  into  English  the  religious  concepts  of  an  alien  race 
without  using  words  which  are  associated  with  the  religion  of  the 
white  race.  In  preceding  works  it  is  explained  that  the  Sioux  word 
wakay'  and  the  Chippewa  manido'  are  purely  native  terms  and  that 
their  significance  must  be  largely  inferred  from  the  connection  in 
which  they  are  used.  (See  Bull.  61,  Bur.  Amer.  Ethn.,  footnotes, 
pp.  85,  88.)  The  Mandan  word  of  this  character  is  Jio'pinis,  which 
is  somewhat  imperfectly  expressed  by  the  English  word  ‘‘  holy.” 
Instances  of  its  use  in  the  present  work  are  as  follows :  He  who  was 
qualified  to  perform  certain  rites  and  to  fructify  the  seed  of  corn  or 
vegetables  was  called  koJio  pinikus,  freely  translated  “priest;”  the 
mysterious  beings  who  brought  the  Little  Kiver  Women  Society  and 
its  songs  to  the  Mandan  were  called  mako'  pinimij  translated  “  spirit 
women  ” ;  the  old  man  who  made  a  wand  for  a  novitiate  of  the  Stone 
Hammer  Society  offered  a  petition  to  ma'liopalkti' a,  literally  “  great 
medicine,”  the  word  Jio'pa  meaning  “charm  or  spell.”  The  word 
malic' pinide,  occurring  in  song  No.  4,  is  translated  “  I  am  holy.” 
When  the  Corn  Priest  purified  the  seed,  he  was  called  ko'kayte 
(corn)  haha'naka  (purifier),  the  latter  word  meaning  literally  “to 

See  Fletcher  and  La  Flesche,  The  Omaha  Tribe,  pp.  261—269.  Similar  rites  among 
the  Osage  have  been  intensively  studied  by  Mr.  La  Flesche.  * 

Maximilian,  Travels,  pt.  ii,  pp.  324-333, 

Catlin,  “  0-kee-pa,”  pp.  16—25. 

Boiler,  Among  the  Indians,  pp,  100-111. 


densmore] 


MANDAN  AND  HIDATSA  MUSIC 


37 


wipe  off  impurities.”  This  term  was  applied  to  the  Corn  Priest 
■  in  only  one  of  his  ceremonial  activities. 

The  duties  of  Corn  Priest  were  twofold  in  character  and  comprised 
the  distribution  of  seed  which  he  had  in  his  possession,  and  the 
fructifying,  or  “  purifying  ”  of  seed  which  was  brought  to  him  for 
that  purpose.  The  first  was  performed  every  year  in  the  spring, 
but  the  second  did  not  always  occur.  Concerning  the  distribution 
of  seed,  it  was  said  that  the  Corn  Priest  kept  a  supply  of  every 
variety  of  corn  and  knew  what  variety  each  family  usually  planted, 
for  he  noticed  the  scaffolds  in  the  fall  with  their  braids  of  drying 
corn.  If  by  any  chance  he  forgot  the  variety,  he  asked  the  woman 
who  made  the  request  and  was  informed  whether  her  family  raised 
white,  yellow,  red,  “  pink,”  or  other  corn.  No  one  knew  where  the 
Corn  Priest  obtained  his  seed  corn,  but  he  always  had  an  abundance. 
The  request  for  seed  was  always  accompanied  by  a  gift,  and  he 
gave  each  woman  a  few  kernels  which  she  mixed  with  her  own 
com,  thus  rendering  it  productive. 

The  ceremony  of  purifying  the  corn  was  performed  in  accord¬ 
ance  with  the  instructions  of  Good  Fur  Robe.  A  ‘‘map  of  the 
earth,”  drawn  on  buckskin,  and  a  ceremonial  pipe,  to  be  described 
in  a  subsequent  paragraph,  were  used  at  this  time.  The  com  or 
other  seed  was  spread  on  the  ground,  and  the  buckskin  map  was  hung 
between  the  seed  and  the  Corn  Priest  in  such  a  position  that  its 
lower  edge  rested  on  the  ground.  The  Corn  Priest  sprinkled  the 
seed  with  water  and  sang  certain  songs,  but  these  died  with  Moves 
Slowly,  the  last  man  who  had  the  right  to  sing  them.  It  is  said 
that  neither  drum  nor  rattle  was  used  with  these  songs.  According 
to  Will  and  Hyde  the  Com  Priest  “  then  takes  brushes  of  mint  and 
performs  the  actual  cleansing  by  brushing  over  all  of  the  seed,  and 
all  of  the  people  as  well.”®^  After  performing  this  ceremony  the 
Corn  Purifier  was  “  holy  ”  until  the  harvest.  He  painted  himself 
and  stayed  in  his  lodge,  eating  only  dried  vegetables  and  corn  of  the 
previous  year.  It  was  believed  that  if  he  ate  so  much  as  one  kernel 
of  fresh  corn  a  frost  would  come  that  night  and  destroy  the  entire 
crop.  A  Corn  Priest  who  for  some  reason  had  not  performed  the 
ceremony  of  purifying  the  seed  was  under  no  restrictions  and  could 
eat  whatever  he  liked.  Among  the  regulations  pertaining  to  the 
season  was  a  rule  that  no  one  should  use  a  knife  on  a  cornstalk  at 
the  time  of  the  purifying  of  the  corn.  If  an  extended  drought  en¬ 
dangered  the  crop,  it  was  customary  for  a  group  of  men,  or  one  of 
the  men’s  societies,  to  gather  a  large  quantity  of  gifts  and  take  them 
to  the  Corn  Priest  with  a  request  that  he  secure  rain.  If  he  were 
unable  to  do  this,  the  gifts  were  taken  to  the  medicine  men,  each  of 

^2  Corn  among  the  Indians  of  the  Upper  Missouri,  p.  263.  Subsequent  duties  of  the 
Com  Ihirifler  are  enumerated  on  pages  264-268  of  this  work. 


38 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


[bull.  80 


whom  in  turn  tried  to  bring  rain.®^  Otter  Woman  said  that  her 
father,  Black  Tongue,  was  often  called  upon  and  that  the  people  ' 
“  poured  a  great  deal  of  water  on  his  head,  and  he  secured  rain  for 
the  corn.”  Two  of  Black  Tongue’s  songs  are  included  in  this  series 
as  Nos.  16  and  17. 

In  the  summer  evenings,  after  it  was  dark,  the  Goose  Women  some¬ 
times  went  to  the  lodge  of  the  Corn  Priest  and  sang  with  him.  The 
Com  Priest  was  closely  associated  with  this  organization  and  had  a 
part  in  its  ceremonies  (see  p.  45). 

The  Instructions  of  Good  Fur  Pobe 

IITien  Good  Fur  Pobe,  the  first  Corn  Priest,  grew  to  old  age  and 
realized  that  he  had  liot  long  to  live,  he  selected  a  man  as  his  suc¬ 
cessor  and  instructed  him  in  the  duties  of  the  office.  He  also  in¬ 
structed  certain  of  his  descendants  so  they  could  act  as  Corn  Priests 
and  gave  them  a  special  commission  that,  when  he  and  the  other 
male  chiefs  died,  they  should  keep  the  three  skulls,  saying  that  as 
long  as  they  did  this  the  people  would  have  good  crops  of  com.®'^ 
His  instructions  were  obeyed  and  it  is  said  that  the  skulls  are  now 
in  the  possession  of  the  only  descendant  of  the  three  chiefs. 

Good  Fur  Pobe  told  his  successors  to  keep  a  “map  of  the  earth,” 
which  he  drew  on  buckskin,  and  the  ceremonial  pipe  which  was 
smoked  only  by  the  Corn  Priest.  The  map  and  pipe  were  de¬ 
stroyed  by  fire  when  Moves  Slowly’s  lodge  was  burned  and  were 
never  replaced.  This  fire  took  place  prior  to  1884,  but  the  exact 
date  could  not  be  ascertained.  A  tradition  concerning  the  origin 
of  the  ceremonial  pipe  is  remembered  by  a  few  of  the  old  people. 
They  say  that  Good  Fur  Pobe  wanted  to  make  such  a  pipe  and  that 
his  brother  sought  for  suitable  material.  He  found  the  quarry  of 
red  pipestone  located  in  what  is  now  the  State  of  South  Dakota 
and  called  it  to  the  attention  of  Good  Fur  Pobe,  who  refused  to 
use  it  for  a  ceremonial  pipe  because  the  red  color  symbolized  blood. 
The  red  pipestone  was  therefore  used  only  for  common  pipes  and 
the  ceremonial  pipe  was  made  of  wood.®®  MTien  Good  Fur  Pobe  had 
finished  making  this  pipe,  he  said,  “This  pipe  represents  the  earth. 
It  is  one  pipe,  yet  it  can  be  taken  apart,  the  stem  from  the  bowl. 
The  land  on  the  north  of  the  Missouri  Piver  can  be  represented  by 


Informants  differed  on  this  point,  some  saying  that  the  request  was  made  first  Oif  the 
medicine  men,  and  that  if  they  failed,  it  was  taken  to  the  Corn  Priest. 

^  It  is  the  custom  of  some  tribes  of  the  southern  plains  to  place  the  skull  of  a  chief 
in  their  shrine.  Pepper  and  Wilson  state  that  the  “  Hidatsa  eagle-man  ”  said  in  his  old 
age,  “  My  skull  and  my  friend’s  skull  shall  be  the  medicines  of  my  band  .  .  .  And  so 
long  as  my  skull  is  thus  kept  in  honor,  my  spirit  will  remain  with  it  to  help  the  people 
and  be  their  guide.”  (An  Ilidasta  shrine  and  the  beliefs  respecting  it,  p.  293.) 

A  wooden  pipe  was  among  the  articles  in  the  Hidatsa  shrine.  See  Pepper  and  Wilson, 
An  Hidatsa  shrine,  p.  285, 


densmorb] 


MANDAN  AND  HIDATSA  MUSIC 


39 


one  part  of  the  pipe  and  that  on  the  south  by  the  other  part,  but 
they  are  joined  together  as  one.” 

SOCIETIES  OEGANIZED  BY  GOOD  FUR  ROBE 
The  Goose  Women  Society 

Good  Fur  Robe  organized  this  society  and  it  is  said  to  have  been 
“holy,”  because  Good  Fur  Robe  was  at  the  head  of  it  and  he  was  a 
“holy  man”  (priest).  He  selected  certain  women  as  the  first  mem¬ 
bers  of  the  society  and  divided  them  into  two  companies,  telling  one 
company  to  paint  their  mouths  black  and  the  other  to  paint  their 
mouths  blue.  He  also  gave  them  certain  songs  and  told  them  how 
to  conduct  their  ceremony.  He  said  this  society  would  “  look  after 
the  corn,’’  and  that  if  there  were  an  early  frost  the  Goose  Women 
must  bring  presents  to  him  so  that  he  could  prevent  damage  to  the 
crop.  Good  Fur  Robe  told  the  man  whom  he  trained  as  his  succes¬ 
sor  that  he  must  sing  with  the  Goose  Women  when  they  danced 
and  select  two  others  to  sing  with  him.  In  later  years  four  men 
sometimes  sang  at  the  dances  of  the  Goose  Women.  In  addition  to 
their  duties  in  connection  with  the  corn  and  the  holding  of  a  cere¬ 
mony  in  the  spring,  the  Goose  Women  were  believed  to  have  special 
powers  for  good.  Thus,  if  a  child  were  ailing,  its  parents  took 
presents  to  the  Goose  Women,  and  it  is  said  that  after  a  time  the 
child  grew  straight  and  sturdy  as  the  young  corn.  If  a  young 
man  were  going  on  the  warpath  he  might  betake  himself  to  the 
Goose  Women  and  ask  them  to  give  him  success.  The  exact  nature 
of  their  help  was  not  ascertained  except  that  they  “sang  hymns 
which  were  prayers.”  From  the  time  of  Good  Fur  Robe  until  the 
old  customs  were  lost  in  the  life  of  civilization  this  gentle  sisterhood 
was  perpetuated,  being  an  honored  and  important  part  of  the  tribal 
organization.  Young  girls  of  suitable  temperament  were  selected 
and  trained  for  membership,  the  Goose  Women  watching  constantly 
for  those  adapted  to  a  place  among  them. 

The  character  and  traditional  origin  of  the  society  is  thus  empha¬ 
sized  in  order,  so  far  as  possible,  to  vivify  the  early  life  of  the 
Mandan.  The  writer’s  informants  did  not  indicate  the  Goose 
Women  as  an  age  society  in  the  usual  acceptance  of  the  term.  Lowie 
states  that  “  it  is  evident  that  the  Goose  Society  is  of  a  distinctly 
more  religious  character  than  either  the  Skunk  or  the  Enemy  So¬ 
ciety,®®  and  presents  a  detailed  study  of  the  organization.®^  Maxi¬ 
milian  lists  it  only  as  an  Hidatsa  organization,  describing  it  as  a 
medicine  feast  under,  the  name  of  “  the  corn  dance  feast  of  the 


Lowie,  Societies  of  the  Hidatsa  and  Mandan  Indians,  p,  338. 
BTIbid.,  pp.  323,  330-338. 


40 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


[bull.  86 


women.”  His  account  has  many  resemblances  to  that  herewith  pre- 
sented.®®  Curtis  describes  an  Hidatsa  ceremony  in  honor  of  the 
mythical  Old-Avoman-who-never-dies,  for  the  purpose  of  securing 
abundant  crops  of  corn.®^ 

Ci:remony  and  Meeting  of  the  Goose  Women  Society 

When  the  geese  went  away  in  the  fall  a  woman  might  say,  “  I 
promise,  O  geese,  to  give  a  feast  for  the  Goose  Women  when  you 
return  in  the  spring.”  Such  a  woman  began  her  preparations  for 
the  feast  before  the  coming  of  the  geese  and  several  of  her  friends 
helped  her.  Together  they  made  a  rack  of  poles  with  sticks  laid 
across  the  poles,  and  on  this  rack  they  hung  slices  of  beef  or  other 
meat  and  of  fat.  This  feast  was  held  in  connection  with  the  cere¬ 
mony  of  the  Goose  Women  Society  which  took  place  in  the  spring 
of  the  year.®® 

The  ceremony  of  the  Goose  Women  took  place  during  the  day, 
and  its  meeting,  with  dancing,  was  held  that  evening.  The  cere¬ 
mony  was  held  in  the  open  air,  near  the  rack  of  poles  on  which 
was  hung  the  meat.  Coming  from  one  of  the  lodges,  the  Goose 
Women  appeared  carrying  large  sheaves  of  fresh  sage  in  their  arms. 
Four  songs  were  sung  during  the  ceremony,  exclusive  of  that  sung 
by  the  Corn  Priest  alone.  During  the  first  and  second  songs  (Nos. 
1  and  2)  the  Goose  Women  swayed  to  and  fro  like  the  corn  in  the 
field.  The  third  and  fourth  songs  of  the  group  (Nos.  3  and  5)  were 
connected  with  a  trance  which  formed  part  of  the  ceremony.  All 
these  were  “  sacred  songs.” 

In  all  the  songs  of  the  Goose  Women  Society  it  was  customary 
for  three  or  four  men  to  sing  with  the  women,  this  being  one  of  the 
regulations  imposed  by  Good  Fur  Robe  when  he  organized  the  so¬ 
ciety.  Each  of  these  men  beat  upon  a  hand  drum  similar  to  those 
used  in  the  men’s  societies,  but  much  smaller  and  decorated  all  around 
the  rawhide  head  with  goose  tracks  placed  close  together  near  the 
edge  of  the  drum.  The  specimen  illustrated  (pi.  13,  a)  is  very  old 
and  is  in  the  possession  of  the  North  Dakota  Historical  Society. 
The  rawhide  is  so  discolored  with  age  that  only  one  goose  track  is 
discernible.  This  track  is  inches  in  length  and  about  the  same 
in  width.  The  drum  is  warped  by  the  strain  of  the  rawhide,  and 


^  Maximilian,  Travels,  pt.  ii,  pp.  334—336. 

Curtis,  The  North  American  Indian,  vol.  iv,  pp.  148—152. 

Maximilian  mentions  an  autumn  feast  of  the  Goose  Women,  and  Will  and  Hyde 
state  that  the  autumn  ceremony  was  considered  more  important  than  that  held  in  the 
spring.  “  Meat  racks  were  set  up  and  the  women  danced  four  dances,  just  as  in  the 
spring  corn  dance  ;  but  the  ifall  dance  was  primarily  a  buffalo  ceremony,  intended  to 
insure  a  good  fall  hunt.”  (Corn  among  the  Indians  of  the  Upper  Missouri,  p.  275.)  A 
connection  between  corn  and  the  buffalo  as  important  articles  of  food  has  already  been 
mentioned  in  this  paper  (p.  36). 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


BULLETIN  80  PLATE  13 


c.  Goose  Women  Society  drum 


b.  Drumming  stick  used  with  Goose  Women  Society  drum 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY  BULLETIN  80  PLATE  14 


Otter  Woman  b.  Bear-on-the-liat  c.  Pan 


DENS  more] 


MANDAN  AND  HIDATSA  MUSIC 


41 


measures  15^  inches  at  its  largest  and  13|  inches  at  its  smallest 
diameter.  The  thickness  of  the  drum  varies  from  3  to  3f  inches. 
The  rawhide  is  fastened  across  the  back  of  the  drum  with  strips 
of  hide  that  cross  in  the  middle,  forming  a  handhold  (see  also  pi. 

9,  5).  The  drumming  stick  was  made  for  the  writer  by  Ben  Ben¬ 
son,  who  is  familiar  with  the  usage  of  the  society.  The  stick  is 
new,  but  the  bulfalo-hide  covering  of  the  end  is  very  old  and  ap¬ 
parently  has  been  used  on  a  similar  drumming  stick.  On  remov¬ 
ing  this  covering  it  was  found  that  the  wood  at  the  end  of  the 
stick  had  been  scraped  and  turned  downward,  the  inner  bark 
being  left  in  narrow  strips,  betAveen  which  were  12  spaces.  This 
form  suggests  a  12-row  ear  of  corn  with  the  silk  turned  downward, 
but  as  the  writer  had  left  the  reservation  it  was  impossible  to  secure 
information  concerning  the  complete  symbolism  of  the  stick.  Eagle 
feathers  were  placed  around  the  end  of  the  drumming  stick,  and  the 
bulfalo-hide  covering  was  held  in  place  by  a  strip  of  the  same 
material  (pi.  13,  &).  A  drum  decorated  with  goose  tracks  is  noted 
on  page  91. 

Wounded  Face,  who  contributed  a  portion  of  the  information  con¬ 
cerning  this  society,  was  a  singer  at  its  last  meetings. 

The  first  song  is  of  unusual  interest.  Wounded  Face  said  it  is 
called  the  captive  song  because  of  the  following  legend :  Many  years 
ago  a  Goose  woman  was  captured  by  an  enemy  and  taken  far  away, 
but  she  managed  to  escape  and  started  toward  home.  As  she  traveled 
wearily  a  flock  of  geese  flew  above  her.  They  flew  low  and  sang  this 
song,  which  she  learned  from  them.  The  words  of  the  song  appear 
to  be  connected  with  Old-woman-who-never-dies,  a  mythical  charac¬ 
ter  associated  with  many  of  the  agricultural  beliefs  and  practices  of 
the  Mandan  and  Hidatsa.  She  resembles  the  Mother  Corn  and  the 
Spider  Woman  of  certain  tribes  farther  south,  though  differing  from  . 
them  in  many  respects.  Maximilian  states  that  “  The  old  Avoman 
who  never  dies  sends,  in  the  spring,  the  waterfowl,  swans,  geese,  and 
ducks  as  symbols  of  the  kinds  of  grain  cultivated  by  the  Indians. 
The  wild  goose  signifies  maize ;  the  swan,  the  gourd ;  and  the  duck, 
beans.  It  is  the  old  woman  who  causes  these  plants  to  grow,  and, 
therefore,  she  sends  these  birds  as  her  signs  and  representatives.” 

The  Old-woman-who-never-dies  was  called  Mother,  and  as  the  birds 
Avere  her  representatiA^es,  the  geese  and  the  Goose  Women  might,  as 
in  this  instance,  address  one  another  as  mother  and  daughter. 

The  ceremonial  use  of  this  and  the  four  songs  next  following  has 
already  been  noted. 


Maximilian,  Travels,  pt.  ii,  p.  335.  Cf.  also  Will  and  Spinden,  The  Mandans,  p.  141, 


42 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


[BULD.  80 


No.  1.  The  Captive  Song*  (Catalogue  No.  808) 


Recorded  by  Scatteked  Corn 

Voice  so 
Drum  not  recorded 


Vr-iv-H 

- h - Pi 

'  'r 

Q  :: 

: 

n 

IJ  J 

i  A 

7^  n  1 

« _ _ 

Lx 

1  Fa  ^ 

m  m 

31.  ?  -  -4._ 

1  _ m. _ 

Lat 

Pdi  -  hai)-ka 


WORDS  (MANDAN) 

pdi^hagka - , - my  youngest  daughter 

hido'namido'tede _ here  you  are 

hug - yes 

na'e - mother 

hido'mamitede _ I  am  here 

Analysis. — This  song  contains  several  peculiarities  which  occur  in 
other  songs  of  the  present  series.  Most  interesting  of  these  is  a 
downward  glissando,  which  followed  the  tone  in  the  eighth  measure 
and  the  final  tone  of  the  song.  It  is  a  trailing  of  the  voice  which  can 
not  be  indicated  by  notation.  Among  other  songs  containing  a 
similar  glissando,  either  during  the  melody  or  at  the  close,  are 
Nos.  19,  2'3,  and  29.  In  this  song  the  compass  of  the  glissando  was 
approximately  a  whole  tone.  The  song  comprises  two  periods  of 
eight  measures  each.  This  gives  an  effect  of  rhythmic  regularity, 
but  the  sequence  of  measure  lengths  is  different  in  the  two  periods. 
A  rest  occurs  at  the  close  of  the  first  period.  Other  songs  contain¬ 
ing  rests  are  Nos.  2,  3,  6,  7,  8,  9,  12,  13,  16,  19,  21,  34,  38,  57,  65,  74, 
92,  93,  103,  and  104.  Syncopations,  or  nota  legato^  occur  also  in 
Nos.  47,  50,  52,  53,  73,  81,  85,  89,  96,  98,  and  110.  A  comparison 
of  these  three  peculiarities  in  songs  previously  analyzed  is  noted  on 
page  31. 


DfiNSMOREj 


MANDAN  AND  HIDATSA  MUSIC 


43 


No.  2.  Song  of  the  Goose  Women  Society  (a) 

(Catalogue  No.  809) 

Recorded  by  Scattered  Corn 

Voice  J  =  80 
.Drum  J  r  so 


See  drum-rhythm  below  I - j 


-V~0— 4- - 

1  1  hi 

1  *1  — f 

J — ^  n  .J  .J  in 

to  m  i 

fi^  '  _ J _ 1 _ lL_2 _ K _ K _ _ 

1  r. 

m  •  ^  - 

Lat 

_ • _ *_I 

Drum  -  rhythm 

nn  nr: 


Analysis. — Three  renditions  of  this  song  were  recorded  and  in 
them  all  the  tones  were  given  with  reasonable  accuracy,  but  the  pro¬ 
gression  from  one  tone  to  another  was  by  a  glissando  which  can  not 
be  transcribed.  The  melodic  interest  of  the  song  lies  in  the  fifth 
and  sixth  measures,  which  contain  the  descending  triads  C-A-F  and 
F-D-B  flat.  The  rhythmic  interest  lies  in  the  variation  of  the 
rhythmic  unit  which  appears  in  the  seventh  and  eighth  measures, 
the  second  count  of  the  unit  being  prolonged  to  twice  its  length. 


The  following  song  is  among  those  considered  sacred.”  In  the 
old  days  the  women  became  unconscious  during  the  singing  of  this 
song,  and  it  is  said  that  corn  often  came  from  their  mouths.  Some¬ 
times  little  ducks,  or  even  singing  birds,  came  from  the  mouths  of 
the  Goose  Women  while  they  were  in  this  trance. 


44  BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY  [bull.  80 

No.  3.  “My  Daughter”  (Catalogue  No.  810) 

Recorded  by  Scattered  Corn 


Voice  J- =  so 

Drum  J-  =  so 

See  drum-rhythm  below 


- 1 

1  1 

— !• — m - 

b 

^4 JJ 

^  * 

njT  r  1 

n 

1  i  1  — 

771 V  v'  "y  h  m 

^  • 

^ a : 

Cr  W 

Gr 

—& - 

He  -  hai)  -  ka  ko-Kai)  -  te  -  haijk 


e  o-wa  -  ka-to  -  he  mi-ko  •  te 


II 

3  t—  1  I 

n 

J.  -  ^  J. 

II 

Drum  -  rhythm 

J.  J.  J.  J. 

WORDS  (MANDAN) 

he'haqka _ my  daughter 

ko^hagtehagk _ this  corn 

owa'katohe  miko'te _ that  L  can  never  use  up 


Analysis. — This  melody  has  a  compass  of  10  tones,  yet  with  one 
exception  the  intervals  are  small,  containing  two,  three,  or  four  semi- 


dJinsMorb] 


mandak  akd  hidatsa  music 


45 


tones.  The  largest  interval  is  an  ascending  minor  sixth.  The  small 
intervals  comprise  7  major  thirds,  17  minor  thirds,  and  19  major 
seconds.  It  is  interesting,  though  not  unusual,  to  note  the  fre¬ 
quency  of  the  minor  third  in  a  song  of  major  tonality.  The 
rhythmic  unit  is  short  and  repeated  throughout  the  song.  In  this 
instance  the  entire  measure  length  is  indicated  as  the  metric  unit, 
the  voice  dividing  this  period  of  time  into  three  and  the  drum  into 
two  parts.  Drum  and  voice  were  synchronous  on  the  first  count  of 
each  measure. 


The  following  song  was  sung  by  the  Corn  Priest  alone,  while  the 
women  were  in  a  trance  and  the  water  birds  were  coming  from  their 
mouths.  This  is  one  of  the  “  sacred  songs  ”  of  the  society,  and  in 
it  the  “  power  that  is  in  the  Goose  Women  ”  is  speaking. 


No.  4.  Song*  of  the  Corn  Priest  (Catalogue  No.  812) 


Recorded  by  Scattered  Corn 


Voice  J  =  los 

Drum  not  recordea 


— *1 — 

— ^ 

- F"! - 1 - 1  ^ 

w  ^  ^  ^  W  1 

F  r  ^ 

J _ F _ _ L _  JJZ _ _ J _ LJ 

igl  ml 

mi'hena _ 

malio'pinide- 

e'hes _ 

mi'mao'dote- 

2118®— 23 - 5 


WORDS  (M  AND  AN) 

_ a  woman 

_ “  I  am  holy  ” 

—1. _ said 

_ I  am  the  one 


46 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY  [bulu  so 


Analysis. — This  song  is  harmonic  in  structure  and  contains  all  the 
tones  of  the  octave  except  the  second.  The  framework  of  the  melody 
consists  of  the  descending  fourth  B  flat-F,  followed  by  the  descend¬ 
ing  triad  F-D-B  flat  and  the  descending  fourth  B  fiat^F  in  the  lower 
octave.  About  one-third  of  the  intervals  are  fourths.  Several  ren¬ 
ditions  of  the  song  were  recorded  and  show  no  material  differences. 

This  song  was  sung  after  the  Goose  Women  had  recovered  from 
their  trance  and  been  “  cleansed.” 


No.  5.  Song*  of  the  Goose  Women  Society  (b) 

(Catalogue  No.  811) 

Kecorded  by  Scattered  Corn 

Voice  J  z  so 
Drum  J  r  so 


Analysis. — The  tempo  of  this  song  is  similar  to  that  of  No.  3,  this 
tempo  being  steadily  maintained  with  drum  and  voice  synchronous 
on  the  first  of  each  measure.  Six  complete  and  one  partial  rendition 
were  recorded.  The  pitch  was  gradually  raised  during  these  rendi¬ 
tions,  but  the  entire  variation  is  less  than  a  semitone  (see  No.  13). 
The  principal  intervals  are  the  fourth  and  the  major  second. 

At  the  conclusion  of  the  ceremony  it  was  customary  for  certain 
young  girls  to  take  home  with  them  for  safe-keeping  the  sage  bundles 
carried  by  the  Goose  Women.  These  bundles  were  regarded  as 
‘‘sacred,”  and  the  young  girls  entrusted  with  them  were  probably 
girls  who,  at  a  later  time,  became  members  of  the  society.  In  the 
evening  they  took  the  bundles  to  the  lodge  where  the  Goose  Women 


DBNSMORE] 


MANDAN  AND  HIDATSA  MUSIC 


47 


were  assembled,  and  joined  in  the  dancing.  From  time  to  time  a 
Goose  Woman  would  ask  one  of  these  girls  to  leave  the  dance  and 
go  to  her  home.  There  she  spread  a  robe  on  the  ground  and  gave 
the  girl  a  feast.  The  girl  ate  all  she  could  and  her  parents  were 
permitted  to  take  what  was  left  except  a  little  which  the  girl  herself 
was  required  to  take  to  the  singers  in  the  lodge.  After  all  the  young 
girls  had  thus  been  entertained  by  the  Goose  Women  and  had  re¬ 
turned  to  the  lodge  the  singers  sang  a  “  cleansing  song,”  and  the 
young  girls  “  cleansed  ”  themselves  with  sprigs  of  fresh  sage.  Mean¬ 
time  the  sheaves  of  sage  were  placed  upright  against  one  of  the  posts 
of  the  lodge.  At  the  close  of  the  meeting  the  Goose  Women  carried 
the  bundles  of  sage  to  their  own  homes.  As  they  left  the  lodge  a 
buffalo  robe  was  spread  for  them  to  walk  upon,  and  they  stepped  on 
it  as  they  went  from  the  lodge,  carrying  the  sheaves  of  sage  in  their 
arms. 

The  Black  Mouth  Society 

After  Good  Fur  Kobe  had  organized  the  Goose  Women  Society 
he  selected  the  bravest  men  of  the  tribe  and  organized  a  society  of 
warriors.  According  to  Bear-on-the-fiat  the  name  that  Good  Fur 
Kobe  gave  the  society  meant  ‘‘  Brave  Warriors.”  It  was  the  duty 
of  members  of  this  society  to  defend  the  village  and  also  to  keep 
order  within  it.  Their  commands  were  arbitrary  and  obeyed  by  all. 
Good  Fur  Kobe  instructed  them  to  blacken  the  lower  part  of  their 
faces  in  the  same  manner  as  one  branch  of  the  Goose  Women  Society. 
This  custom  gave  the  society  its  present  name.  The  insignia  of  the 
society  consisted  of  two  rods  about  the  length  of  a  spear,”  to  which 
raven  skins  were  attached.  Wounded  Face  said  that  the  head  of 
the  bird  was  fastened  tightly  near  the  top  of  the  rod  and  the  body 
of  the  bird  hung  loosely.  These  rods  were  carried  in  war  and  a 
member  of  the  society,  having  placed  one  of  the  rods  upright  in  the 
ground,  was  not  allowed  to  retreat  from  the  place.  However,  if  he 
were  seen  to  be  in  mortal  danger,  a  comrade  could  release  him  by 
snatching  the  rod  and  carrying  it  away.  (Cf.  Fox  Society,  p.  109.) 

The  following  tradition  concerning  the  origin  of  this  society  was 
related  to  Doctor  Lowie  by  Wounded  Face:  “Long  ago  Good  Fur 
Kobe  assembled  the  middle-aged  men.  To  the  leader  he  gave  one 
cornstalk  and  to  the  rear  man  another.  ‘  When  the  enemy  chase 
you,’  he  instructed  them,  ‘  plant  these  in  the  ground  and  do  not 
run  away.’  Sometimes  a  cornstalk  has  five  branches  at  the  top. 
Later  a  stick  with  a  spearhead  was  made  to  represent  the  cornstalks ; 
owl  wing  feathers  were  tied  to  its  side,  as  well  as  crow  or  raven  wing 
feathers  and  a  raven  head.  ,  .  .  They  painted  their  faces  black. 


This  is  noted  also  among  the  age  societies  on  p.  108, 


4 


48  BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY  [bulu  so 

The  Goose  Women  used  the  same  paint,  because  their  society  was 
founded  by  the  same  man.” 


Meeting  of  the  Black  Mouth  Society 


^Yhen  the  Black  Mouth  Society  held  a  meeting  the  members  were 
seated  in  an  open  cuiwe,  the  raven-rod  bearers  being  at  the  ends  of 
the  curve  (fig.  3).  Next  them  were  two  men  with  rattles,  which  were 
described  as  “  little  boxes  with  pebbles  in  them.”  At  the  back  of 
the  curve  were  stationed  four  singers  with  large  hand  drums,  and  at 
some  distance  in  front  of  them  were  two  men  holding  pipes  that  were 

said  to  be  “  calu¬ 
mets”  and  used  in 
negotiations  of 
of  Dancers  peace.  These  pipes 
were  complete,  with 
bowl  and  stem.®  It 
was  said  that  the 
pipe  bearers  held 
the  pipes  in  front 
of  them,  chest  high, 
using  both  hands 
and  holding  the 
mouthpiece  of  the 
pipe  away  from 
them  as  though  offer¬ 
ing  it  to  someone. 
They  stood  with 
heads  bowed,  took 
no  notice  of  persons 
around  them,  and 
kept  time  to  the 
music  by  slightly  bending  their  knees.  They  did  not  dance  nor  move 
from  the  place  where  they  stood. 

The  raven-rod  bearers  walked  back  and  forth  across  the  entrance 
to  the  circle  during  the  dancing,  and  a  song  was  not  begun  until 
the  raven-rod  bearers  had  left  their  places.  The  men  withThe  rattles 
started  the  songs,  which  were  at  once  taken  up  by  the  singers  with 
the  drums.  The  rattle  bearers  moved  around  the  circle,  passing 
between  the  singers  and  the  men  who  held  the  pipes.  The  dancers 


o 

o 

+ 


Lance  bearer. 

Man  with  rattle. 

Pipe  bearer. 

Drums. 

Part  of  row  of  dancers. 


Fig.  S'. — Diagram  showing  movements  of  men  in  ceremony  of 

Black  Mouth,  Society. 


Lowie,  Societies  of  the  Hidatsa  and  Mandan  Indians,  pp.  313—314.  This  contains 
also  an  account  of  a  meeting  of  the  society. 

Cf.  “  Calumet,”  Bull.  30,  Bur.  Amer.  Ethn.,  Handbook  of  American  Indians,  pp.  191- 
195. 


4 


DENS  more] 


MANDAN  AND  HiDATSA  MUSIC 


49 


followed  them.  It  appears  that  the  dancers  did  not  cross  the  entrance, 
blit  turned  on  reaching  the  end  of  the  curve.  The  meetings  of  this 
society  are  said  to  have  been  dignified  and  impressive,  the  men  being 
sometimes  seated,  but  frequently  “  standing  like  soldiers  ”  around 
the  circle  when  they  were  not  dancing. 


Wounded  Face  related  a  tradition  concerning  the  following  song. 
He  said  that  on  one  occasion  the  Black  Mouth  Society  was  holding 
a  meeting  and  one  of  the  ravens  on  the  raven  rods  was  heard  to 
utter  its  characteristic  cry.  Everyone  wondered  which  raven  it  was. 
They  listened  to  hear  if  the  sound  were  repeated.  It  came  again, 
and  then  they  knew  that  it  came  from  the  raven  carried  by  a  man 
named  Skunk.  The  cry  was  considered  a  warning  of  disaster  and 
Skunk  sang  this  song. 

No.  6.  Son^  to  the  Raven  (Catalogue  No.  861) 


Recorded  by  Wounded  Face 

Voice  J  z  so 

Drum  not  recorded 


wf^j^friiiifrUnr  mr'fe 


3 


y«it  Cj»u- 1^1*'  r  r  f  r  r  I  f  I*  r  r  1^1 


m 


Ke-ka  mi-o-wa-te-dos  ki-ka-de-tu 

T 


I 


WORDS  (MANDAN) 


ke'ka _ raven 

mi'owate'dos _ I  am  going  to  die 

kika'detd _ fly  away 

Analysis. — It  is  interesting  to  note  that  only  one  of  the  five  Black 
Mouth  Society  songs  contains  a  rhythmic  unit  and  that  only  one 
(No.  10)  contains  more  than  five  scale  degrees.  A  descending  trend 
characterizes  this  melody,  which  is  harmonic  in  structure.  The 
compass  is  12  tones  and  about  four-fifths  of  the  intervals  are  minor 
thirds  and  major  seconds.  The  tone  material  comprises  only  the 
minor  triad  and  fourth. 


50 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


[bull.  80 


No.  7.  “Earth  Always  Endures.”  (Catalogue  No.  859) 


Recorded  by  Wounded  Face 

Voice  J  =  ss 

Drum  not  recorded 


L_ a 

.  0 

- 1 — 

A  A  •  ^ 

’  ■  — fl 

1/.  » _ /V  _ A _ ^  ^  ^  _ u 

7  '1  *  r"  r" 

r 

n 

r  1 

=L.  K 

■ 

-1 — L 

-1 — *- 

WOEDS  (MANDAN) 

ma'ake - earth 

te'hai) -  always 

makes' - endures 

Analysis. — This  song,  like  No.  6,  contains  only  5  tones,  or  scale 
degrees,  which  in  this  instance  are  those  of  the  major  triad  and 
second.  Like  No.  6,  this  song  is  harmonic  in  structure  and  has  an 
extended  compass.  Two-thirds  of  the  intervals  are  descending  pro¬ 
gressions,  this  being  a  frequent  proportion  of  descending  intervals  in 
the  Indian  songs  analyzed  by  the  writer. 

No.  8.  “Enemies  Are  Many”  (Catalogue  No.  860) 
Recorded  by  Wounded  Face 


Voice  J  =  69 

Drum  not  recorded 


.1 

-  ff 

(!•  #  . 

~r%x  Ti 

1  1  I  I  ■  41  1  1  1 

^  ^  ■  '  ■  '  ■ 

J.- 

l 

88 

f  f 

-^V  ..*1  ■  -J--.  I 

M  1  1  i  - 

1 

tl  L 

X 

1  1 

1  I  I  L 

^  u  V. ■ 

t  r.  \  \ 

y  ^  I 

-9fc 

I  ^ 

We-nu-ka- 

T 

ni-te  wi-da-ta-ni- te  ^  hu-mi 

-  kas 

■  O  1  ~l  1 

TXl  1 - 

— 1 — n 

-  #•  '  ^ 

^•|  1  ^  _J_J 

1  /u  1 

1  w 

'  r  > 

_ m‘*4  y  1  r. 

F  1 _ _  1  /  a _ 

1  U  a 

«  if 

—  ..rg 

1^. 

l.;Hb  

^  II 

DENS  more] 


MANDAN  AND  HIDATSA  MUSIC 


51 


WORDS  (MANDAN) 


wenu'kanite' - my  comrades 

wi'data'nite' - - - enemies  (all  unfriendly  tribes) 

hu'mikas - are  many 


Analysis. — In  structure  this  song  resembles  Nos.  6  and  T,  the 
range  being  extended  and  the  progression  being  chiefly  by  intervals 
containing  two  or  three  semitones.  The  tone  material  is  that  of  the 
fourth  five-toned  scale,  and  the  sixth  is,  in  one  instance,  lowered  a 
semitone. 


No.  9.  Going  to  Dance  (Catalogue  No.  903) 


Recorded  by  Little  Crow 


WORDS  (HIDATSA) 


madi'si - to  dance 

mare'wits _ I  am  going 

Analysis. — The  tone  material  of  this  song  is  that  of  the  fourth 
five-toned  scale,  and  it  has  a  compass  of  14  tones.  More  than  half 
the  progressions  are  minor  thirds. 


52 


BUREAU  or  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


[bull.  80 


No.  10.  Black  Mouth  Society  Song  (Catalogue  No.  869) 


Recorded  by  Sitting  Rabbit 

Voice  J  r  63 

Drum  not  recorded 


r 

4 

m- 

IS'  r  1 

“¥F - 

mn - 

^ - 

•- 

.A  • 

'  a  ^ 

L 

1  *■ 

1  K 

-  ■— i- 

. 

1.^. 

Analysis. — This  is  the  only  Black  Mouth  Society  song  containing  a 
rhythmic  unit.  This  unit  occurs  three  times  in  double  measures  and 
a  similar  count  division  occurs  in  the  seventh  measure,  which  is  in 
triple  time.  The  song  is  minor  in  tonality,  melodic  in  structure,  and 
has  a  compass  of  13  tones. 

CUSTOMS 

Singing  in  the  Gardens 

As  the  women  were  given  a  prominent  place  by  Good  Fur  Kobe 
in  the  tribal  organizations,  so,  also,  they  had  an  important  part  in 
the  economic  life  of  the  tribe.  Upon  the  women  rested  the  responsi¬ 
bility  for  the  cultivation  of  the  gardens,  that  were  located  a  mile  or 
more  from  the  village.  There  they  worked  in  the  fields  of  corn, 
beans,  squashes,  and  pumpkins,  breaking  new  ground,  if  necessary, 
and  carrying  on  their  agricultural  pursuits  in  a  systematic  manner. 
From  the  little  children  to  the  old  women  there  was  work  for  all, 
adapted  to  their  strength  and  ability.  Very  picturesque  were  the 
gardens,  with  corn  and  beans  planted  at  equal  distances  in  alternate 
rows,  so  arranged  that  the  stalks  of  corn  were  opposite  the  spaces 
between  the  hills  of  beans.  A  pleasure  in  the  beauty  of  the  gardens 
is  evident  in  any  mention  of  them  by  the  Mandan. 


DENS  more] 


MANDAN  AND  HIDATSA  MUSIC 


53 


When  the  com  was  almost  ripe,  it  was  closely  guarded  by  the 
women  of  the  tribe.  Scaffolds  or  platforms  were  erected  for  this 
purpose.  These  were  not  so  strong  as  the  corn-di’ying  scaffolds  in 
the  village  and  were  usually  placed  near  a  tree,  or  provided  with 
artificial  shade. There  the  women  sat,  often  busying  themselves 
with  some  handiwork,  and  around  these  guarding  platforms  there 
centered  much  of  the  inner  life  of  the  village.  This  is  evidenced  in 
the  character  of  many  of  the  garden  songs  which  were  sung  by  the 
watchers  and  are  said  to  have  been  sung  also  by  the  women  when 
cultivating  the  young  plants.  They  are  social  songs,  it  being  ex¬ 
pressly  stated  that  the  songs  were  not  “  intended  to  make  the  com 
grow.”  Many  phases  of  village  life  found  expression  amid  the  sweet 
surroundings  of  the  garden,  or  in  the  gentle  dawn  when  the  women 
went  early  to  their  work.  Many  of  the  garden  songs  were  the  posses¬ 
sion  of  certain  individuals  who,  it  appears,  sometimes  put  new  words 
to  old  melodies,  as  in  Nos.  12  to  IT.  Other  songs  may  have  been  indi¬ 
vidual  compositions.  One  woman,  bowed  with  years,  said  that  “  the 
garden  songs  were  always  lonesome  songs,”  and  we  find  in  some 
of  them  a  sadness  that  was  undoubtedly  repressed  in  the  village. 
Others  are  evidently  the  songs  of  young  girls,  and  in  tliem  we  find  the 
word  i'mupa^  which  is  translated  “my  best  friend,”  but  is  more 
accurately  expressed  by  the  word  “chum,”  as  it  contains  the  idea 
of  the  first  excluding  affection  of  a  young  girl  by  which  she  chooses 
one  particular  girl  of  her  own  age  as  her  constant  companion.  This 
word  occurs  also  in  a  song  of  the  Little  River  Women  Society  (No. 
39).  It  was  not  unusual  for  two  young  girls  to'  watch  adjacent 
cornfields  from  the  same  guarding  platform.  Such  girls  might 
have  sung  No.  12. 

A  suggestion  of  the  difficulties  connected  with  gardening  is  pre¬ 
served  in  the  following  song,  which  is  said  to  have  been  taught  to 
very  young  girls.  The  words  are  freely  translated  thus:  “It  is 
hard  work  to  care  for  a  garden.  The  blackbirds  come  and  eat  it 
up.  Come,  my  brother,  and  kill  them.” 


The  gardens  of  the  Mandan  probably  differed  little  from  those  of  the  Hidatsa.  Cf. 
Wilson,  Agriculture  of  the  Hidatsa  Indians,  pp.  22—34.  Concerning  the  varieties  of 
corn,  see  Will  and  Hyde,  Corn  among  the  Indians  of  the  Upper  Missouri,  pp.  284—317. 


54 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


[bull.  80 


No.  11.  “Kill  the  Blackbirds”  (Catalogue  No.  877) 
Recorded  by  Otter  Woman 

Voice  J  =  se 

Drum  not  recorded 


- 

4 

i 

• 

_ 

a 

- J - 

U 

• 

Analysis. — In  rhythmic  structure  this  song  comprises  three  pe¬ 
riods,  each  ending  with  a  half-note.  The  rhythm  of  the  first  period 
is  slightly  different  from  that  of  the  second  and  third.  The  ac¬ 
cented  tones,  with  one  exception,  are  those  of  the  major  triad,,  yet 
9  of  the  15  intervals  are  minor  thirds. 


It  was  customary  for  a  woman  to  have  certain  garden  songs  of 
her  own,  as  the  men  had  their  personal  war  songs.  The  two  songs 
next  following  are  the  personal  songs  of  Scattered  Corn. 

No.  12.  “  Tli'e  Corn  is  My  Pleasure  ”  (Catalogue  No.  813) 
Recorded  by  Scattered  Corn 


Voice  J  r  eo 
Drum  not  recorded 


WORDS  (MANDAN,  NOT  TRANSCRIBED) 

i'mupa - my  best  friend 

wa'tewedni'tasika'iia _ what  do  you  like? 

e'teka'na— - you  said 

mita'tamiha'otake _ the  corn  (an  old  term) 

a'te _ _ is 

ptaha'pana'sote' _ my  pleasure 

Analysis. — The  intonation  in  the  four  renditions  of  this  song  was 
somewhat  wavering,  yet  a  difference  between  the  tone  transcribed  as 


dbnsmoee] 


MANDAN  AI^D  HIDATSA  MUSIC 


55 


E  sharp  (third  measure)  and  that  transcribed  as  E  natural  (fourth 
measure)  is  always  apparent.  The  song  contains  only  the  tones  of 
the  minor  triad  and  seventh.  Other  songs  with  this  tone  material 
are  Nos.  20,  28,  32,  34,  40,  65,  and  79,  constituting  8  per  cent  of  the 
entire  number  of  songs.  This  tone  material  occurred  in  three  Chip¬ 
pewa  songs,  one  Sioux  song,  and  two  songs  of  the  Northern  Utes. 
In  material  previously  analyzed  it  is  a  very  rare  occurrence  that 
a  song  ends  on  an  unaccented  part  of  the  measure.  If  the  final 
tone  occurs  on  that  portion  of  a  measure  it  is  prolonged  into  the 
next  measure,  but  in  the  present  series  26  songs  (24  per  cent)  end 
on  an  unaccented  count  and  the  tone  is  terminated  before  the  begin¬ 
ning  of  the  next  measure.  Songs  with  this  peculiarity  are  Nos.  12, 
17,  21,  25,  26,  29,  36,  38,  44,  49,  50,  53,  55,  57,  58,  71,  77,  86,  87,  92,  95, 
101,  102,  103,  104,  and  105.  This  song  is  strongly  rhythmic  in  char¬ 
acter  but  contains  no  rhythmic  unit.  The  principal  interval  of  pro¬ 
gression  is  the  minor  thjrd  which  constitutes  42  per  cent  of  the 
entire  number  of  intervals. 


No.  13.  “  I  am  Alone  ” 

Recorded  by  Scatteeed  Corn 


(Catalogue  No.  814) 


Voice  J  =  ee 

Drum  not  recorded 


r-i 

^  1 1?.  nL'' ;•] 

[ l  I  1  i«  I  aiT 

rw — : - : - ri  —  t  ^ 

1  1 

U'  L  4* 

n — — TT 

1  •!  1  k.  II  <0  1  1 

r 

■  /.. 

y.  1  t  j-a 

— I — “ftrx  H  y  1  1 

J  J  j..  1 

f  ^  m 

'  1  ^ 

-W-t 

A.,  ^  1  1  TT 

^  1 

I- 

- 1 

1 

R 

rw  V - . 

1  1  !  1  [  ri 

WA 

^ 

■  •» 

r»  V- 

^ 1  w  L  J 

mt.. 

)  '  ^  M 

tli  1  1 

It  r.  ^  ^  ^ 

r  ^  ^ 

> 

1  ^  ^ • 

II  ^  T  T'-  . 

numak'daheki' - that  man 

wa'niwapa'ka  na'sona _ you  refused 

numa'kenus _ that  man 

o'niku  e'oska _ is  it  he? 

liawas -  he  is  lost 


56 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


[bull.  80 


mi'lia _ 

liampe' _ 

walia' _ 

(le'ba _ 

wa'hake'nikiik' 

e'oska _ 

wahe'ki _ 


-  I  am  alone 
.  tlie  day 

-  to  see, 

.  for  a  long  time 

-  I  will  be  alone, 
.  him 

-  I  cannot  see 


Analysis. — A  slight  rising  in  pitch  is  noted  in  the  four  renditions 
of  this  song,  as  in  No.  5.  The  tone  material  is  that  of  the  fourth  five- 
toned  scale.  The  melody  progresses  chiefly  by  whole  tones,  the  inter¬ 
val  of  a  major  second  constituting  53  per  cent  of  the  entire  number 
of  intervals. 


The  preceding  song,  while  expressing  loneliness,  is  still  the  song 
of  a  young  girl.  The  two  songs  next  following  are  those  of  a  widow. 
In  1912  Otter  Woman  (pi.  14,  a)  and  Little  Crow,  her  husband,  re¬ 
corded  No.  63.  Little  Crow  died  soon  afterwards,  and  when  the  writer 
returned  in  1915  Otter  Woman  recorded  these  two  songs,  saying  she 
had  put  her  own  words  to  old  melodies  and  sung  them  ever  since  her 
husband  died.  She  was  so  overcome  with  emotion  that  the  songs 
were  transcribed  with  difficulty.  The  melodies  are  those  of  old-time 
garden  songs.  The  words  of  No.  14  are  freely  translated  as  follows: 
“  The  man  who  was  my  lover  is  dead  and  gone.  I  wonder  where  he 
is  gone.  I  am  lonely  every  day.  If  I  could  go  to  him  as  I  am  I 
would  go,  no  matter  how  far  away.” 


No.  14.  “My  Lover  is  Dead  ” 

(Catalogne  No.  875) 

Recorded  by  Otter  Woman 


Voice  J  r  so 

Drum  not  recorded 


Analysis. — The  tempo  of  this  song  is  particularly  slow.  The  sub¬ 
dominant  is  prominent,'  a  peculiarity  that  was  noted  in  songs  of  sad¬ 
ness  among  the  Chippewa.  More  than  half  the  progressions  are 
minor  thirds,  and  the  song  has  a  compass  of  12  tones. 


dbnsmore] 


MANDAN  AND  HIDATSA  MUSIC 


57 


The  words  of  this  song  are  freely  translated  as  follows:  “A  Dog 
Society  man  went  north  to  war  and  was  killed  there.  I  am  sad  every 
day  because  I  did  not  see  him  coming  back.  My  sweetheart,  if  I 
could  go  to  you  just  as  I  am,  I  would  go.” 


No.  15.  “  My  Heart  Aches  Every  Day  ” 

(Catalogue  No.  878) 

Recorded  by  Otter  Woman 


Voice  J  56 
Drum  not  recorded 


-■i  .n  iistj  j  II 


Analysis. — This  song  contains  all  the  tones  of  the  octave  except 
the  sixth  and  seventh,  but  the  only  accented  tones  are  those  of  the 
major  triad.  The  range  is  from  the  dominant  above  the  tonic  to  the 
dominant  in  the  lower  octave.  The  song  progresses  by  intervals  con¬ 
taining  two,  three,  or  four  semitones,  the  only  interval  other  than 
these  being  the  descending  fourth  at  the  close  of  the  song. 

Otter  Woman  said  that  she  learned  the  next  two  songs  from  Black 
Tongue,  her  father.  It  was  said  that  her  father  sang  No.  16  in  the 
garden,  and  that  “  it  was  sung  even  before  his  time.”  It  is  interest¬ 
ing  to  note  that  the  intervals  are  larger  in  these  two  songs  than  in 
the  preceding  garden  songs  (Nos.  11-15),  which  were  composed  and 
sung  by  women. 


58 


BtJREAtr  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY  [bull,  bo 

No.  16.  “This  is  Her  Tillage”  (Catalogue  No.  874) 
Recorded  by  Otter  Woman 


Voice  J  =  96 

Drum  not  recorded 


itr  •J.'.hirj 


!■-  I 

f—  —  —  — 


a 


1  Jf 

=2^ 

.  V?  n  ■  Ft 

[=u. 

Suk-mi-he  -  «  -  nus  ta-mi  -  ti 


XT 


wa  -  lie  wa-hus  hi- do  te  -  o  -  to  te 


i 


WORDS  ( MANDAN ) 

sukmi'henus _ the  maiden 

tami'ti _ her  village 

wahe' _ to  see 

wahus' _ I  came 

hi'do  te'tote _ this  it  is 

(Free  translation;  “The  maiden  I  came  to  see,  this  is  her  village.”) 


Analysis. — Fifty  intervals  occur  in  this  song,  19  of  which  are 
fourths  and  22  are  major  seconds.  The  song  shows  a  descent  of  11 
tones  in  the  first  10  measures,  this  descending  trend  being  repeated 
in  the  second  portion  of  the  song.  The  interval  of  a  fourth  was 
clearly  given,  though  the  intonation  on  other  intervals  was  wavering 
in  the  three  renditions.  The  song  contains  all  the  tones  of  the  octave 
except  the  second  and  seventh. 


dbnsmore] 


MANDAN  AND  HIDATSA  MUSIC 


59 


Black  Tongue,  said  to  have  been  the  owner  of  this  and  the  pre¬ 
ceding  song,  is  remembered  as  one  of  the  principal  medicine  men 
among  the  Mandan.  Otter  Woman  was  74  years  old  when  she 
recorded  her  father’s  songs  and  said  that  he  died  when  she  was  about 
30  years  old.  She  said  that  when  the  people  wanted  rain  so  the  corn 
would  grow  they  brought  water  and  poured  it  on  her  father’s  head, 
and  it  always  rained.  In  the  following  song  he  ‘‘  spoke  to  the  corn,” 
and  said,  “  You  have  all  come  back.” 

No.  17.  Song  to  the  Corn  .(Catalogue  No.  876) 


Recorded  by  Otter  Woman 


Voice  J  =  ss 
Drum  not  recorded 


Analysis. — The  interval  of  a  major  third  does  not  occur  in  this 
song,  wdiich  is  major  in  tonality.  The  interval  of  a  fourth  comprises 
almost  25  per  cent  of  the  intervals  and  the  minor  third  occurs  with 
about  the  same  frequency.  Like  the  other  garden  songs,  it  is  not 
rhythmic,  though  a  short  unit  of  rhythm  appears  twice.  The  tone 
material  is  the  fourth  five-toned  scale,  and  the  song  has  a  compass 
of  12  tones. 


An  echo  of  another  side  of  the  village  life  appears  in  the  following 
song,  which  was  recorded  by  Yellow  Hair  (pi.  15,  a)^  wife  of  Butter¬ 
fly  (pi.  15,  c).  The  songs  of  Butterfly  are  Nos.  79,  88,  and  106  in 
this  series.  The  words  of  this  song  were  not  recorded,  but  were  said 
to  mean  “The  first  (or  present)  wife  laughs  when  the  next  wife  is 
brought  to  the  lodge.” 


60 


bureau  of  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


[bull.  80 


No.  18.  “The  First  Wife  Laughs”  (Catalogue  No.  906) 


Recorded  by  Yellow  Hair 

Voice  J  r  48 

Drum  not  recorded 


Analysis. — This  song  contains  four  rhythmic  periods,  the  second 
containing  two  measures  and  the  others  containing  three  measures. 
A  taunting  effect  is  given  by  the  count  divisions  in  the  middle  por- 
tion  of  the  song.  Other  songs  expressing  derision  are  Nos.  93 
and  107.  Other  songs  containing  syncopations  are  noted  in  the 
analysis  of  No.  1.  With  the  exception  of  an  ascending  major  sixth, 
the  melody  progresses  entirely  by  intervals  containing  two,  three, 
or  four  semitones. 

Eagle  Catching 

Early  travelers  in  the  Northwest  mention  the  custom  of  eagle 
catching,  but  Matthews  states  that  his  is  the  first  complete  descrip¬ 
tion  of  it.®®  This  differs  from  the  accounts  given  the  present  writer 
in  that,  according  to  him,  the  birds  were  allowed  their  liberty  after 
their  tail  feathers  had  been  removed.  The  writer’s  Mandan  and 
Hidatsa  informants  agreed  that  the  eagles  were  killed,  and  the 
Hidatsa  informants  stated  that  they  were  buried  with  some  cere¬ 
mony.  The  custom  appears  to  have  been  common  to  both  tribes  and 
widely  practiced  in  that  region.  The  principal  information,  with 
the  songs  herewith  presented,  is  from  the  Mandan,  but  certain  notes 
are  given  from  the  Hidatsa. 


Matthews,  Ethnography  of  the  Hidatsa,  pp.  58—60.  Cf.  also  Pepper  and  Wilson. 
An  Hidatsa  shrine,  pp.  310—314.  In  this  account  a  black  bear  instructed  a  man  in  the 
art  of  eagle  catching,  and  the  stuffed  skin  of  a  young  black  bear  was  the  eagle  catcher’s 
fetish.  The  writer’s  interpreter  stated  that  the  animal  referred  to  in  the  tradition  was 
“  something  like  a  bear,”  but  that  ”  as  near  as  he  could  make  out  it  must  have  been  a 
wolverine.”  Because  of  his  uncertainty,  he  used  the  term  ‘‘  little  animal  ”  in  his  inter¬ 
preting,  but,  with  this  explanation,  the  word  “  wolverine  ”  is  used  in  this  material.  The 
catching  of  eagles  by  means  of  pits  was  practiced  by  the  Blackfeet,  Sioux,  Cheyenne, 
and  Arapaho,  and  presumably  by  all  the  Plains  tribes.  The  custom  among  the  Black- 
feet,  with  a  mention  of  ”  eagle  songs,”  is  recorded  by  George  Bird  Grinnell  in  Blackfoot 
Lodge  Tales,  pp.  236-240. 


DENS  more] 


MANDAN  AND  HIDATSA  MUSIC 


61 


The  Mandan  material  comprised  in  this  section  was  supplied' by 
Ben  Benson,  the  last  Mandan  who  has  the  hereditary  right  to  sing 
the  eagle-catching  songs.  He  has  in  his  possession  the  eagle  catcher’s 
fetish,  consisting  of  the  skin  of  a  wolverine,  which  he  inherited 
from  Iron  Eyes,  his  father.  He  also  has  two  “  mushroom  rattles  ” 
(see  pp.  62-63)  which  were  used  in  certain  ceremonies  of  the  eagle 
camp.  Iron  Eyes  gave  four  horses  in  exchange  for  the  skin  of  the 
wolverine,  though  it  was  his  by  inheritance,  and  so  great  is  the 
respect  shown  this  fetish  in  the  camp  that  it  is  seldom,  if  ever,  taken 
from  the  lodge  of  its  owner.  In  accordance  with  native  custom, 
Ben  Benson  brought  a  witness  with  him  for  this  important  con¬ 
ference,  selecting  Water  Chief,  a  leading  member  of  the  tribe,  who 
occasionally  made  suggestions  or  was  consulted  by  Benson.  The 
interpreter  was  Mr.  Fred  Huber,  an  Hidatsa,  as  a  Mandan  inter¬ 
preter  was  not  available  and  Benson  spoke  the  two  languages  with 
equal  fluency. 

Benson’s  information  is  as  follows :  The  man  in  charge  of  the  eagle 
camp  was  called  Old  Wolverine,  referring  to  the  legend  of  the  origin 
of  the  custom  (pp.  64-69),  and  the  office  was  hereditary,  as  already 
indicated.  The  duties  of  Old  Wolverine  included  the  selection  of  the 
place  for  the  camp  and  the  direction  of  all  its  arrangements. 

The  eagle-catching  camp  was  made  in  the  autumn,  soon  after 
the  corn  harvest,  and  the  people  remained  in  it  “  until  the  ice  was 
along  the  edge  of  the  rivers  and  little  pools.”  The  eagle  traps 
were  located  out  of  sight  of  the  camp  and  about  a  mile  and  a  half 
distant  from  it.  While  in  the  eagle  camp  the  men  did  not  sleep  at 
home,  but  in  a  large  lodge,  where  they  lay  with  their  heads  on  one 
long  log. 

An  eagle  trap  consisted  of  a  hollow  in  the  ground  covered  with  a 
matting.  The  foundation  of  this  matting  was  of  brush  and  it  is  said 
that  grass  and  weeds  were  so  cleverly  interwoven  with  the  brush 
and  were  placed  above  it  in  such  a  manner  that  a  casual  observer 
would  not  notice  any  difference  between  the  trap  and  the  hillside  on 
which  it  was  placed.  The  traps  were  usually  located  on  the  slope  of 
a  knoll  or  butte,  about  one-third  the  distance  below  the  summit.  It 
is  said  this  location  was  chosen  because  the  eagles  were  frequently 
seen  to  sweep  to  the  ground  just  after  flying  over  a  knoll.  Beside 
the  woven  matting,  at  the  side  next  the  summit  of  the  knoll,  the 
bait  was  fastened  to  the  ground.  This  was  usually  a  rabbit  from 
which  the  skin  had  been  removed,  but  a  fox  was  sometimes  used  for 
the  purpose.  The  eagle  catcher  seated  himself  in  the  hollow  con¬ 
cealed  by  the  brush  matting,  and  when  an  eagle  alighted  on  the  mat¬ 
ting  he  secured  it  by  reaching  upward  and  grasping  its  feet.  Traps 
were  placed  in  locations  where  eagles  were  often  seen,  and  much  care 
2118^—23 - 6 


62 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


[bull.  80 


was  bestowed  on  the  selection  of  suitable  places,  but  this  in  itself 
was  not  considered  sufficient  to  insure  success.  Benson  stated  that 
‘‘  it  was  a  very  solemn  thing  to  go  out  to  catch  eagles,  and  if  a  man 
were  not  serious  he  would  not  succeed.”  The  eagle-catching  songs 
recorded  by  Benson  are  Nos.  19  to  30. 

The  writer  visited  an  eagle  trap,  which  had  been  in  disuse  for 
about  75  years.  It  was  near  the  house  of  Running  Babbit,  at  the 
edge  of  the  “  bad  lands,”  and  was  considered  a  particularly  well- 
located  trap  in  the  old  days.  Running  Rabbit’s  father  had  used  it 
so  many  times  that  when  the  land  on  the  reservation  was  divided 
among  the  Indians  he  asked  that  the  knoll  on  which  it  was  located 
be  made  part  of  his  allotment.  His  wish  was  granted,  and  the  land 
is  now  in  the  possession  of  his  son.  The  trap  is  situated  on  the 
western  slope  of  a  butte,  which  is  one  of  a  long  series,  all  being 
somewhat  similar  in  contour.  From  the  eagle  trap  there  is  a  wide 
view  toward  the  north  and  northwest  (pi.  17,  a,  h).  The  spot 
selected  for  the  trap  was  a  small  bench,  or  bit  of  comparatively 
level  land,  not  much  larger  than  the  trap  itself.  Weeds  and  brush 
had  filled  the  hollow,  but  these  were  easily  cut  away  and  the  writer 
descended  into  it.  The  holloAV  was  found  to  be  3  feet  deep  and  less 
than  4  feet  in  width.  It  was  intended  that  the  proportions  of  the 
trap  should  be  such  that  when  a  man  was  seated  in  it  his  head 
would  be  only  a  little  below  the  brush  matting,  thus  enabling  him 
to  reach  up  and  grasp  the  feet  of  the  eagle.  A  bone  was  found 
sticking  upright  in  the  ground  close  to  the  trap  on  the  side  toward 
the  summit  of  the  knoll.  This  bone  (pi.  16,  a)  had  apparently  been 
used  for  fastening  the  bait.  It  was  identified  as  an  upright  vertebra 
of  the  buffalo,  is  about  14  inches  in  length,  and  on  it  there  remains  a 
trace  of  red  paint.®®  The  writer  also  visited  the  location  of  the 
eagle  catcher’s  camp,  about  a  mile  distant  from  this  trap. 

Benson  stated  that  at  the  close  of  the  eagle-catching  camp  there 
occurred  a  period  of  fasting,  which  continued  four  days.  During 
this  time  certain  ceremonial  rattles  were  used  by  Old  Wolverine. 
The  rattles  are  known  as  ‘‘mushroom  rattles”  because  of  their 
shape;  two  used  in  the  old  times,  as  already  indicated,  are  in  the 
possession  of  Ben  Benson.  Old  Wolverine  held  a  rattle  in  each 
hand  and  struck  them  together,  either  the  edges  or  the  flat  tops, 
after  which  he  shook  them  in  the  usual  manner  of  using  a  rattle. 
The  specimen  illustrated  (pi.  9,  d)  belonged  to  Moves  Slowly  and  is 
in  the  possession  of  the  North  Dakota  Historical  Society,  having 

A  buffalo  skull  showing  traces  of  red  paint  was  (found  by  the  writer  on  the  site  of  a 
Sioux  sun  dance  held  in  1882.  It  is  interesting,  to  note  the  persistence  of  the  native 
vermilion,  though  exposed  to  the  severity  of  the  weather  in  that  region.  (Bull.  61, 
Bur.  Amer,  Ethn.,  p.  93.) 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


BULLETIN  80  PLATE  15 


a.  Yellow  Hair 


c.  ButterUy 


b.  Sitting  Rabbit 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


BULLETIN  80  PLATE  16 


a.  Bone  used  for  fastening  bait  in  eagle  catching,  b,  c.  “  Kick-ball” 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


BULLETIN  80  PLATE  17 


a.  Eagle  trap  (filled  by  vegetation  in  foreground) 


b.  View  from  eagle  trap 


ensmoeeJ 


MAKDAN  AND  HlDATSA  MUSIC 


63 


been  photographed  for  this  work  through  the  courtesy  of  Dr.  Melvin 
.  1.  Gilmore.  It  is  made  of  rawhide  sewn  over  a  small  wooden  hoop 
at  one  end.  The  rattle  is  5f  inches  in  total  length,  the  handle  is 
inches  long,  and  the  top  is  inches  in  diameter.  The  handle  is 
decorated  with  wild  sage  and  the  entire  rattle  is  painted  with  native 
vermilion. 

So  much  time  was  required  for  recording  the  eagle-catching 
jngs,  with  the  information  concerning  them,  that  it  was  impossible 
I  secure  further  details  concerning  the  camp.  Accordingly,  the  fore- 
oing  narrative  was  translated  to  Buffalo  Paunch  and  Dancing  Bull, 
members  of  the  Hidatsa  tribe,  and  an  inquiry  was  made  from 
them  on  the  subject.  They  stated  that  the  custom  of  their  tribe  was 
substantially  the  same  that  Benson  had  related  concerning  the  Man- 
dan  and  added  the  following  information  as  supplementary  to  his. 
They  said  that  eagle  catching  among  the  Hidatsa  was  called  a'masi 
^dre'ri^  meaning  “cache  going  into,”  and  referring  to  the  position 
of  the  eagle  catcher  when  at  his  work.®’^  Although  many  men 
"mped  together,  each  had  his  own  eagle  trap,  which  he  never 
itered  unless  the  wind  was  in  the  west.  The  remainder  of  the 
ae  was  spent  in  the  camp  or  in  securing  food.  Those  who  were 
most  “serious  in  mind”  were  accustomed  to  make  a  great  effort 
secure  success.  There  was  a  sweat  lodge  in  the  camp,  and  some 
.:.en  tortured  themselves  in  the  sweat  lodge,  crying  aloud  as  they 
prayed  to  the  spirits  for  success  in  securing  eagles.  It  was  not 
unusual  for  a  man  to  ask  that  cuts  be  inflicted  in  his  breast  or  back 
similar  to  those  sometimes  inflicted  during  the  sun  dance.  These 
were  not  made  by  Old  Wolverine,  but  by  the  man’s  “  clan  fathers,” 
or  “  clan  brothers.”  A  man  who,  after  prolonged  effort,  was  un¬ 
able  to  secure  any  eagles  sometimes  tortured  himself  severely  in 
his  effort  to  secure  assistance  from  the  spirits.  A  frequent  cus¬ 
tom,  in  such  instances,  was  to  bend  down  a  sapling  so  that  when 
a  man  was  suspended  from  it  by  the  flesh  of  his  breast  or  back  his 
toes  would  touch  the  ground.  Usually  a  man  enduring  this  tor¬ 
ture  was  released  at  midnight  by  Old  Wolverine,  but  if  the  man  had 
expressed  a  desire  to  remain  in  that  position  during  the  entire  night 
Old  Wolverine  did  not  go  to  his  relief  until  daybreak.  This  was 
a  severe  ordeal,  as  the  nights  at  that  season  of  the  year  were  frosty 
and  the  man  suffered  from  cold  as  well  as  from  the  pain  of  sus¬ 
pension.  It  was  said  that,  in  the  old  days,  this  torture  was  repeated 
from  10  to  30  times  if  it  did  not  sooner  bring  success  in  catching 
eagles. 


Matthews  states  that  the  covered  hole  or  trap  is  called  “  amasi'.” 


Op.  cit.,  p,  58. 


64 


:BUREAU  of  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


[bull.  80 


Those  who  were  less  serious  in  temperament  spent  much  time  in 
the  diversions  of  the  camp.  One  of  the  principal  diversions  was  the 
telling  of  stories.  In  ordinary  times  a  man  who  desired  to  hear  some 
of  the  old  stories  might  send  for  a  story-teller,  cook  a  feast,  give  him 
a  few  gifts,  and  ask  him  to  tell  his  stories,  but  at  an  eagle  camp  the 
story-telling  was  more  expensive,  and  a  man  might  even  give  his 
wife  to  the  story-teller  in  return  for  his  services. 

When  a  man  seated  in  an  eagle  trap  secured  an  eagle,  he  strangled 
it  with  twine  made  of  tough  wood  fiber  (see  p.  60).  He  then  pulled 
out  the  tail  feathers  and  took  the  body  of  the  eagle  to  Old  Wolverine, 
who  cut  off  the  wings  and  returned  them  to  him.  Old  Wolverine 
then  asked  some  one  to  dig  a  grave  for  the  eagle  and  “  there  was  a 
little  ceremony  when  the  eagle  was  buried.”  Before  going  to  the  eagle 
camp  the  people  provided  pieces  of  cloth  about  a  yard  in  length. 
No  special  color  was  preferred,  but  the  cloth  must  be  new.  When 
an  eagle  was  buried  it  was  customary  to  “  offer  ”  these  pieces  of  cloth 
to  him,  with  native  tobacco,®®  these  articles  being  placed  in  the  grave. 
When  this  was  finished,  the  successful  eagle  catcher  gave  a  feast  to 
his  friends,  and  also  offered  food  to  the  spirit  of  the  eagle.  In  the 
latter  action  they  tied  the  feathers  and  wings  of  the  eagle  to  a  pole 
in  front  of  the  lodge,  so  located  that  the  sun  would  strike  it,  and  the 
food  was  eaten  within  the  lodge. 

ORIGIN  OF  THE  CUSTOM  OF  EAGLE  CATCHING 

( 

The  following  narrative  w^as  given  by  Ben  Benson,  with  Water 
Chief  present  for  consultation.  The  authority  of  Ben  Benson  on  this 
matter  has  been  established  in  the  preceding  section.  Benson  said: 
“  Down  near  Painted  Woods  Creek  there  was  once  a  Mandan  village 
called  the  Brown  Earth  village.  The  man  considered  leader  of  that 
village  was  named  Sun.  He  and  his  wife  had  several  daughters,  but 
only  one  son,  of  whom  they  were  very  proud.  The  boy’s  name  was 
Black  Wolf.  They  loved  the  bo}^  so  much  that  they  would  not  let 
him  work  and  indulged  him  in  everything.  But  when  the  crier  went 
through  the  camp,  calling  for  young  men  to  go  out  and  look  for 
game,  this  boy’s  name  was  never  called.  One  night  the  crier  came 
near  the  place  where  this  boy  was  courting  a  girl,  and  the  boy  said, 
‘  Call  my  name.’  He  did  this  in  order  to  impress  the  girl,  but  the 
crier  called  his  name  with  those  of  five  others.  They  were  required 
to  start  at  daybreak  the  next  morning,  and  the  crier  sent  them  toward 
the  north.  It  was  autumn,  and  about  tha  month  of  October,  when 
they  started. 


A  specimen  of  this  plant  was  collected  and  identified  as  Cuhelium  concolor  (Forst) 
Raf.  by  Mr.  Paul  C.  Standley,  assistant  curator,  Division  of  Plants,  United  States  National 
Museum,  Washington,  D.  C. 


dbnsmore] 


MANDAN  AND  HIDATSA  MUSIC 


65 


“  Black  Wolf  supposed  that  his  companions  were  friendly  to  him, 
but  this  was  not  true.  They  were  all  jealous  of  him  because  they 
were  afraid  he  had  been  courting  their  wives,  so  they  decided  to  lose 
him.  They  knew  that  they  could  do  this  easily  because  he  had  not 
been  in  the  habit  of  going  far  from  the  camp.  So  as  soon  as  they 
started  out  one  after  another  ran  away  from  him,  dashing  ahead  as 
fast  as  possible.  They  did  this  to  tease  him  and  wear  him  out.  As 
he  did  not  know  the  country  he  was  always  left  behind.  At  day¬ 
light  they  said  that  they  would  stop  for  a  little  while  and  rest.  Black 
Wolf,  never  having  been  on  such  an  expedition  nor  treated  so  roughly, 
was  tired  out  and  soon  fell  asleep.  The  others  lay  down  also,  but 
wakened  very  soon  and  ran  away,  while  Black  Wolf  slept  long  and 
soundly.  When  at  last  he  awoke  he  found  himself  alone  in  a  strange 
place.  Rising  quickly,  he  began  to  walk  back  and  forth  and  to  call 
the  names  of  his  companions.  He  did  this  for  a  long  time,  and  then 
he  realized  that  he  was  lost.  He  carried  a  large  bow  lance,  but  had  no 
weapon,  not  even  a  knife.  He  was  well,  clothed,  but  had  no  means 
of  getting  food.  Then  he  took  from  his  bow  the  decorations  of 
eagle  feathers  and  otter  fur  and  ‘  prayed  to  the  buffalo  skull,’  giv¬ 
ing  to  this  object  of  his  supplication  all  the  decorations  from  his 
bow  and  all  his  clothing  until  at  last  he  had  nothing  left  except  the 
bare  bow.  Several  days  passed  and  the  weather  grew  cold.  He 
could  .get  no  food  and  was  sitting  in  a  patch  of  buckbrush  thinking 
that  his  end  was  near  when  he  looked  up  and  saw  an  eagle.  It  was 
the  time  when  the  eagles  flew  south,  and  looking  at  it  the  boy  re¬ 
membered  his  father.  He  saw  the  eagle  fly  over  a  knoll  and  down 
the  sheltered  side  of  the  knoll ;  there  he  saw  it  flutter  and  disappear. 
He  went  to  the  place  and  there  he  found  a  hole  covered  with  brush, 
and  in  the  hole  there  was  a  little  animal  called  I' sina  goni' ga.  This 
animal  was  a  little  like  a  bear  (supposed  to  be  a  wolverine).  It  had 
caught  the  eagle  and  seemed  to  have  drawn  it  down  into  the  hole  by 
the  feet.  I^Tien  the  animal  saw  Black  Wolf  it  said,  ‘  You  have 
arrived,  my  brother,’  and  Black  Wolf  replied  ‘  Yes,  where  is  your 
lodge?’  The  little  wolverine  said,  ‘  There  is  my  trail,  you  can  see  it. 
My  father  told  me  to  catch  only  one  eagle  to-day.’  Black  Wolf 
asked  ^How  did  you  catch  the  eagle?’  The  little  wolverine  replied, 
‘  I  spit  on  my  left  hand  and  held  it  up  through  the  brush,  and  when 
the  eagle  came  I  caught  it  w  ith  my  right  hand.’ 

“  Black  Wolf  and  the  little  wolverine  followed  the  trail  and  came 
to  a  lodge  made  of  bark  and  grass,^°  into  which  they  entered.  The 

The  presence  of  a  buffalo  skull  in  an  Hidatsa  shrine  and  of  offerings  to  “  the  spirit 
of  the  buffalo  skull  ”  are  mentioned  by  Pepper  and  Wilson,  An  Hidatsa  shrine,  pp,  297-298, 
also  p.  314. 

■^^A  lodge  similar  to  this  is  used  by  men  in  the  camp,  all  the  customs  of  the  eagle 
catchers  being  derived  from  this  legend. 


66 


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[bull.  80 


inside  of  the  lodge  was  lined  with  the  tail  feathers  of  the  eagle. 
There  were  many  people  there  and  they  ate  nothing  but  eagles,  but 
the  little  wolverine  had  to  get  all  the  food.  When  they  entered  the 
lodge,  the  little  wolverine  said,  ‘  I  have  brought  my  little  brother,’ 
and  his  father  said,  ‘  Good,  bring  him  in.’  So  Black  Wolf  was 
taken  into  the  lodge  and  warmed  and  fed.  Some  of  the  family 
had  that  day  obtained  fresh  buffalo  meat,  and  they  gave  him  some 
of  it  with  water.  They  were  very  kind  to  him  in  every  way. 

“After  a  time  Black  Wolf  said  to  the  little  wolverine:  ‘Let  us 
go  together  to  catch  an  eagle.’  They  consulted  the  people  in  the 
lodge,  who  gave  their  permission;  then  they  started  together  for 
the  eagle  trap.  They  had  been  there  only  a  short  time  when  an 
eagle  came  and  was  caught.  Black  Wolf  said  ‘Fine !  Let  me 
catch  the  next  one  all  alone.’  Soon  there  came  a  black  eagle  and 
Black  Wolf  said,  ‘  Let  us  get  him,’  but  the  little  wolverine  said, 
‘  No ;  my  father  says  that  black  eagles  are  very  quick  and  must  be 
let  alone.’  But  Black  Wolf  finally  persuaded  the  little  wolverine  to 
help  him  try  to  catch  the  black  eagle.  As  they  were  trying  to  hold 
the  eagle  it  bit  the  hand  of  the  little  wolverine  and  it  was  hard 
work  to  get  the  talons  out  of  the  flesh.  The  little  animal  cried  with 
pain  and  started  home.  Black  Wolf  was  sad  to  think  he  had 
brought  trouble  to  those  who  had  been  kind  to  him,  so  he  began  to 
cry  in  sympathy  and  the  two  went  home  in  tears.  When  they 
reached  the  lodge,  the  old  people  asked  Black  Wolf  what  had  hap¬ 
pened  and  he  replied,  ‘  I  asked  him  to  help  me  catch  a  black  eagle.’ 
The  little  wolverine  cried  still  harder.  Then  the  old  people  said, 
‘  We  told  him  not  to  catch  a  black  eagle.  Now  you  have  gotten 
your  little  brother  into  trouble.’  They  felt  very  badly  and  showed 
it  so  plainly  that  Black  Wolf  was  greatly  embarrassed.  He  went 
out  to  search  for  roots  which  might  be  medicinal,  and  he  found  a  root 
called  the  ‘black  medicine.’  Taking  it  into  the  lodge  he  said,  ‘Lit¬ 
tle  brother,  come  here  and  I  will  doctor  your  hand.’  The  little 
wolverine  went  to  him  and  Black  Wolf  chewed  the  root  and  spit 
upon  his  hand  and  the  pain  stopped  at  once.  The  old  people  wanted 
him  to  get  more  of  the  root  so  that  the  man  could  include  it  among 
his  medicinal  herbs,  so  Black  Wolf  found  some  more  of  the  herb 
and  the  man  put  it  with  his  medicines. 

“  Black  Wolf  continued  to  live  in  the  lodge,  but  after  a  time  he 
grew  lonely.  One  day  he  and  the  little  wolverine  were  sitting  on 
a  hill,  when  the  little  wolverine  asked  ‘What  is  the  matter?’  Black 
Wolf  replied  ‘  I  am  lonesome.’  His  companion  said,  ‘  I  will  go  and 
tell  my  father.’  So  he  ran  to  the  lodge  and  soon  came  back  saying, 
‘Father  says  you  may  go  back  to  your  own  people,  and  you  had 


dbnsmokb] 


MANDAN  AND  HIDATSA  MUSIC 


67 


better  go  right  away.  When  you  go  back  to  the  lodge  and  they  ask 
when  you  are  going  you  had  better  say  “  Now,”  for  if  you  say  “  To¬ 
morrow  ”  they  will  make  you  stay  a  year,  and  if  you  say  “  In  two 
days  ”  they  will  make  you  wait  two  years,  and  so  on.’ 

“  So  they  started  back  to  the  lodge,  and  when  they  reached  there 
the  old  man  said  ‘  I  understand  that  you  want  to  go  home.  Your 
home  is  not  far  away.  When  do  you  want  to  start?’  Black  Wolf 
replied  ‘Now.’  The  old  man  said  ‘All  right,’  and  told  the  little 
wolverine  to  select  some  nice  eagle  tails  for  Black  Wolf  to  take 
home  with  him,  as  his  people  valued  them.  The  little  animal  spread 
the  eagle  tails  on  the  ground  and  made  a  big  heavy  bundle  of  them 
for  Black  Wolf. 

“  The  old  man  said,  ‘  There  is  a  certain  chief  in  your  village  who 
has  two  daughters.  They  will  offer  you  these  two  girls  for  your 
wives.^  I  want  them  for  my  daughters-in-law  and  you  must  be  sure 
to  get  them.  I  will  help  you  prepare  the  medicine  necessary  to 
secure  them.’ 

“  When  Black  Wolf  was  ready  to  start  the  next  morning,  the  old 
man  took  white  sage  and  tied  it  in  four  bundles,  which  he  gave  to 
Black  Wolf,  saying  that  two  were  to  be  used  as  ‘  stepping  bundles’ 
and  the  other  two  were  to  be  carried  in  his  arms.  He  told  Black 
Wolf  to  lay  one  bundle  on  the  ground  and  step  on  it,  then  lay  down 
the  other,  step  on  it,  and  pick  up  the  one  which  lay  behind  him,  say¬ 
ing  that  when  he  had  performed  this  action  four  times  he  would  be 
at  the  top  of  the  village.  He  said,  ‘  And  when  you  come  back  you 
are  to  give  the  other  two  bundles  to  my  daughter-in-law  and  she 
must  come  back  in  the  same  way.’ 

“  The  last  night  that  Black  Wolf  slept  with  the  little  wolverine  they 
talked  of  Black  Wolf’s  journey  and  the  little  wolverine  told  him  what 
to  do.  He  said,  ‘  When  you  come  back  be  sure  to  bring  with  you  a 
corn  ball  and  a  pipe.  I  will  get  the  corn  ball  and  we  will  always  be  ' 
together.’  He  also  said,  ‘  When  you  see  my  father,  on  your  return, 
you  must  cry  and  say,  “I  want  madawanusgi  mawahets?''’^'^’^ 

“  Black  Wolf  started  the  next  morning  and  did  as  he  had  been 
instructed.  After  stepping  four  times  from  one  bundle  to  another 
he  found  himself  in  his  own  village.  As  soon  as  he  entered  the  vil¬ 
lage  everyone  remarked  on  the  fact  that  he  was  not  starved,  that 
he  had  good  clothing,  and  had  brought  home  many  eagle  feathers. 

^  Black  Wolf  was  supposed  to  get  two  wives,  but  the  narrative  later  mentions  only  one. 

These  corn  balls  w^ere  much  liked  by  children  of  the  tribe.  The  shelled  corn  was 
dried  in  the  sun,  parched  over  a  fire,  and  then  pounded  in  a  mortar,  after  which  it  was 
mixed  with  grease  and  made  into  rolls  about  3  inches  long  and  li  inches  in  diameter. 

72  Freely  translated,  this  means  “  I  want  to  place  the  hide  of  a  small  animal  on  a 
frame  for  drying.” 


68 


bureau  of  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


[bull*.  80 


This  came  to  the  ears  of  the  chief  whose  name  had  been  mentioned 
by  the  father  of  the  little  wolverine  and  he  sent  for  Black  Wolf. 
When  Black  Wolf  entered  his  lodge  they  talked  together  and  the 
chief  gave  him  his  two  daughters  for  wives  and  also  gave  him  a 
white  buffalo  robe.  Black  AYolf  said  ‘  Aha !  I  will  have  a  fine  robe 
for  my  father’  (meaning  the  father  of  the  little  wolverine).  He 
then  promised  the  robe  to  the  father  of  the  little  wolverine,  who 
heard  him  and  called  back  ‘  thank  you.’  The  chief  commended  him 
for  this. 

“  Black  Wolf  then  went  to  see  his  natural  father,  who  asked  why 
the  chief  had  sent  for  him.  Black  Wolf  told  him  all  the  particu¬ 
lars  and  said  that  he  had  promised  the  white  buffalo  robe  to  his 
adoptive  father.  Then  his  natural  father  said,  ‘  Good,  we  all  have 
plenty  of  robes ;  you  had  better  go  right  up  north  and  give  it  to 
him.’ 

“  So  Black  Wolf  started  back  to  the  home  of  his  adoptive  father, 
having  secured  the  corn  ball  and  the  pipe,  and  he  explained  to 
his  wife  about  the  sage  bundles  and  the  way  to  step  from  one  to 
another.  When  he  neared  the  wolverine  camp  he  began  to  cry 
^Madawanmgi  mawahets^  as  the  little  wolverine  had  told  him  to 
do.  He  went  to  the  lodge  of  his  adoptive  father.  For  quite  a  long 
time  his  father  took  no  notice  of  him,  but  at  last  he  said,  ‘Well, 
my  son,  it  may  be  so.  Come  in.’  So  Black  Wolf  went  into  the 
lodge.  When  he  had  entered,  he  took  out  the  corn  ball  and  pipe 
and  gave  them  to  his  father..  After  talring  them  his  father  told 
him  to  go  and  sit  down  with  his  wife,  pointing  to  the  place  where 
they  were  to  sit.  Black  Wolf  did  as  he  was  told.  The  place  was 
full  of  black  and  brown  wolverines  who  had  been  invited  because 
he  was  coming.  The  old  man  told  the  little  wolverine  to  bring 
food  for  Black  Wolf  and  his  wife.  When  they  had  finished  eating 
this  food,  the  crowd  was  divided  into  two  parts,  the  black  wolver¬ 
ines  going  to  one  side  of  the  lodge  and  the  brown  to  the  other. 
When  this  had  been  done  and  all  were  again  seated,  the  old  man 
said,  ‘  Comrades,  I  want  you  to  study  about  this.  Our  friend  has 
again  used  the  word  Tfiadaivanusgi  ma/waKets.  See  what  you  can 
do  for  him.’  He  handed  his  unlighted  pipe  to  the  man  next  him, 
who  sat  a  while  in  silence,  studying  the  problem,  then  gave  it 
up  and  passed  the  pipe  to  the  man  next  him.  So  the  pipe  was 
passed  from  one  to  another  until  it  came  to  the  little  wolverine. 
He  let  it  pass  him  and  it  went  around  the  circle  and  came  back  to 
him  again.  He  let  it  pass  unlighted  a  second  time.  It  returned 
to  his  father,  who  started  it  around  the  circle  for  the  third  time. 


densmoee] 


MANDAN  AND  HIDATSA  MUSIC 


69 


When  it  reached  the  little  wolverine  the  third  time,  he  paid  no 
attention  to  the  pipe  but  snatched  the  corn  ball.  His  father  said, 
‘Here,  what  are  you  doing?  Light  the  pipe.’  The  little  wolverine 
thrust  the  pipe  in  the  fire  and  puffed  it.  Then  he  said,  ‘  I  did  not 
mean  to  give  you  any  corn  ball  but  I  will.’  So  he  broke  the  corn 
ball  in  two  and  gave  them  part  of  it. 

“  Afterwards  all  the  wolverines  went  to  sleep.  The  next  morning 
the  old  man  said  to  Black  Wolf,  ‘  Go  out  with  your  brother,  tickle 
him  until  he  dies,  then  remove  his  skin  carefully,  fill  it  with  grass  in 
a  nice  shape,  and  bring  it  to  me.’ 

“  Black  Wolf  did  this  and  brought  the  skin  to  the  old  man.  Tbey 
set  it  in  the  back  of  the  lodge  and  it  looked  exactly  like  a  little 
wolverine,  eyes  and  all.  Then  the  old  man  said,  ‘  This  shall  be  your 
fetish.  Keep  it  always  with  you.’  He  then  told  Black  Wolf  to  re¬ 
turn  to  his  natural  father  and  say,  ‘  In  four  days  we  will  be  with  you 
to  make  medicine.’  He  said  to  Black  Wolf,  ‘When  you  get  home 
you  must  prepare  corn  balls  and  all  kinds  of  food  and  there  must  be 
plenty  of  robes.  Tell  all  your  friends  to  help  you.  We  will  be 
there  on  the  night  of  the  fourth  day.’ 

“After  telling  the  boy  to  go  the  old  man  said  to  his  people,  ‘We 
had  better  give  the  boy  some  food  to  take  with  him  as  they  may  be 
all  starving  in  his  village.’  The  people  consented,  and  it  was  de¬ 
cided  to  have  a  good  buffalo  hunt  near  the  village  and  to  give  all  the 
meat  to  the  boy.  They  said,  ‘We  will  begin  it  at  once.’  Just  as 
this  was  settled  an  old  buffalo  came  to  the  old  man  and  said :  ‘  Com¬ 
rade,  this  is  what  I  always  do — give  my  body  to  the  Indians.  I 
would  like  to  be  in  this.’  The  old  man  said :  ‘  If  that  is  the  case  you 
shall  be  treated  the  same  as  I  myself.  My  son  has  brought  this  girl 
to  be  my  daughter-in-law,  you  shall  be  the  same  as  I.’ 

“  The  old  buffalo  said :  ‘  Sing  my  song  and  whatever  you  desire  will 
come  to  you.  If  you  desire  the  wind,  it  will  come  to  you,  or  the 
buffalo  will  come,  or  the  eagles  will  come  when  you  sing  this  song.’ 

“The  old  man  said:  ‘Friend,  that  is  a  good  song.  You  have 
treated  me  well  and  I  will  do  as  you  say.’  ” 

All  the  songs  of  eagle  catching  were  recorded  by  Benson.  He  said 
that  he  could  sing  the  words  of  the  songs  in  either  Mandan  or 
Hidatsa,  but  as  no'  Mandan  interpreter  was  available  he  sang  them 
in  Hidatsa.  It  is  probable  that  the  words  of  other  songs  would  have 
been  recorded  if  a  Mandan 'had  been  interpreting. 

This  is  the  buffalo’s  song. 


70 


bureau  of  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


[bull.  80 


No.  19.  Song  of  the  Buffalo  (Catalogue  No.  821) 

Voice  J  r  69 

Drum  not  recorted 


^ 

- - 1 

n  V 

. ■ 

1 — :===:r - : 

- 7 - 

- 1 

‘"Tr 

1 

1  — 

■ .  1 

 r“ 

r4V't"i  ■  "1  p  ■  p  ft  " ""  "  j 

^3^  3^  t!'  ^ 

1  I  1  1  A  1 

1  ^  ^  r  •/  / 

1  ^  ^  ” 

WORDS  (HIDATSA,  NOT  TRANSCRIBED) 

ati' _ _ lodge 

wu  si  ets _ we  arrived  * 

ati' _ .  lodge 

u  si  ets _ they  arrived 

Analysis, — The  tone  used  in  singing  this  song  was  not  a  clear, 
musical  tone;  the  transcription,  therefore,  is  not  so  accurate  as  in  a 
majority  of  these  songs.  The  outlining  tones  (D-B-G-D)  were 
approximately  correct  in  all  the  renditions  and  the  rhythmic  unit 
was  steadily  maintained.  The  interest  of  the  song  lies  in  its  har¬ 
monic  structure,  descending  trend,  and  peculiar  rhythmic  unit.  The 
descending  progressions,  as  in  several  other  songs  of  the  eagle  catch¬ 
ing,  were  sung  glissando. 

Then  came  a  black  eagle  who  said,  “  Why,  you  have  a  son  here  and 
I  did  not  know  anything  about  it.  You  like  my  children  best  of  all; 
you  can  not  do  without  me ;  you  must  let  me  be  in  this.  I  will  teach 
you  my  song.”  So  the  black  eagle  taught  him  his  song. 


DENS  More] 


MAKDAN  AND  HIDATSA  MUSIC 


71 


No.  20.  Song*  of  the  Black  Eagle  (Catalogue  No.  822) 


Voice  J  =  9a 

Drum  not  recorded 
I - 


3 


s 


A  -  wa-a-ka-ha  ma  -  ni  -  rits  he  o 


a  -  wa  -  a  -ku-hak  ma  -  ni  - 


rits 


he  o 


WORDS  (HIDATSA) 


awaa'kaha - - above  the  earth 

mani'rits _ I  walk 

awa'kuhak _ on  the  earth 

mani'rits _ I  walk 


Analysis. — In  this,  as  in  the  song  next  preceding,  the  intonation 
was  wavering,  but  the  harmonic  form  and  the  rhythmic  unit  are 
interesting.  The  song  is  minor  in  tonality  and  contains  only  the 
tones  of  the  minor  triad  and  seventh.  Four  renditions  were  re¬ 
corded.  The  second,  third,  and  fourth  renditions  are  uniform  in 
every  respect  and  from  them  the  transcription  was  made,  the  first 
rendition  differing  in  some  unimportant  respects. 

Next  came  the  coyote,  who  said:  “You  are  forgetting  me.  I  am 
the  one  who  runs  around  and  sees  everything.  You  can  not  do  with¬ 
out  me  and  I  want  you  to  include  my  song.”  So  the  coyote  taught 
him  this  song. 


72 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAK  ETHlTOLOGY 


[bull.  80 


No.  21.  Song  of  the  Coyote  (a)  (Catalogue  No,  823) 


Voice  J  =  i44 
Drum  not  recorded 


mis-ka  -  re  ma  -  da  -  hi  o  mis-ka  -  re 


- 1  i - 1 


4^.  y-  P — P — 9 - 

m - — 0 - 1  (S> - 

-p - 0 - 

— 

-J—9 - L - 

da  -  hi 

0 

—m - s — 

mis-ka  -  re 

ma 

da  -  hi 

0 

"gi*  ,  V  •  • 

- - r- 

— ^ - 

'•"aT^  — — 

p...  p 

•  ^  • 

*  A  4  II 

J  r 

0 

0 

0 

P  ^  II 

. 

^  r  ^  ' 

'  f  ^  ' 

mis-ka  -  re  ma  -  da  -  hi  o  nu  e 


WOEDS  ( HIDATSA ) 


mis'kare^^ _ old  woman 

mada'hi _ in  the  fall  of  the  year 

hi 'do _ .here 

mare' _ I  go 

ni'hupai'rusta _ your  medicine  is  strongest 


This  is  a  term  sometimes  used  by  a  man  in  addressing  his  wife  and  is  translated 
**  old  woman.”  Its  use  in  connection  with  the  coyote  is  said  to  have  had  its  origin  in  a 
mythical  contest  between  Old  Man  Coyote  and  Cedar  Post.  Mr.  Fred  Huber  related  the 
following  version  of  this  legend :  “  In  the  center  of  the  old  Mandan  village  there  was  a 
cedar  post  surrounded  by  a  paling  of  slabs  about  six  feet  high.  The  post  represented 
First  Man,  who  made  everything  and  who  had  a  kindly  disposition.  Beside  him,  there 
was  another,  known  as  Coyote  Chief,  who  was  always  making  mischief.  In  early  times 


dbnsmore] 


MANDAN  AND  HIDATSA  MUSIC 


73 


Analysis. — ^The  rhythmic  unit  is  strongly  in  evidence  in  this  song 
and  was  steadily  maintained  in  the  three  renditions.  The  tone 
material  is  more  interesting  than  in  the  songs  next  preceding,  as  it 
comprises  all  the  tones  of  the  octave  except  the  seventh,  and  contains 
one  accidental — the  fourth  raised  a  semitone.  Thirty-nine  progres¬ 
sions  occur  in  the  song,  about  two-thirds  being  downward.  There 
is  a  strong  feeling  for  the  tonic  chord  (B  flat-D-F)  throughout  the 
melody,  yet  C  frequently  appears  as  an  accented  tone.  The  song  is 
therefore  classified  in  structure  as  melodic  with  harmonic  frame¬ 
work. 

Then  came  the  snake,  who  said,  “  I  want  to  be  in  this,  I  am  fond  of 
downy  eagle  plumes.  Wlien  you  get  one  you  may  offer  it  to  me  in 
my  hole  if  you  like."^  I  will  give  you  my  song.”  So  the  snake  taught 
him  this  song. 

No.  22.  Song  of  the  Snake  (Catalogue  No.  824) 

Voice  J  =  iia 

Drum  not  recorded 


- — ^ T — - nra - - r — v 

^  \  ^  -  ■  F.  1  1  II  1  1  A. 

”7 - - 

1  »  II-*.}— -4^-1 . i-i-  'LJ  . — 

Analysis. — Five  renditions  of  this  song  were  recorded,  the  second 
differing  slightly  from  the  others.  The  song  is  built  upon  the  tonic 
triad,  descending  from  the  octave  to  the  tonic,  with  only  one  accented 
tone  which  is  not  part  of  that  chord.  The  rhythm  is  interesting, 
but  contains  no  unit.  Two-thirds  of  the  intervals  are  descending 
progressions,  the  interval  of  the  fourth  being  especially  prominent. 


they  had  a  dispute  as  to  which  should  call  the  other  Younger  Brother,  so  they  said :  ‘  Let 
us  leave  our  bodies  here,  near  together,  and  wander  around  for  four  years ;  then  we 
will  return  and  see  which  looks  the  freshest.  This  will  decide.’  So  they  left  their  bodies 
(the  cedar  post  and  the  coyote  body)  and  went  away.  The  coyote  came  back  first.  He 
found  the  coyote  body  all  dry — nothing  remained  but  skin  and  bones,  but  he  breathed 
on  it,  rubbed  it,  and  after  a  while  it  was  a  good,  living  coyote.  He  looked  at  the  cedar 
post  and  it  was  badly  decayed.  Soon  the  other  came  back  and  in  a  short  time  the  cedar 
post  was  all  right.  They  looked  at  each  other  and  saw  they  were  alike,  so  they  said : 
‘  Neither  of  us  shall  call  the  other  Younger  Brother.’  So  they  addressed  each  other  by 
a  term  which  a  man  uses  when  addressing  his  wife,  the  nearest  English  equivalent  being 
‘  old  woman.'  ”  Cf.  p.  7. 

In  explanation  of  this  it  was  said  that  “  the  eagle  catching  is  late  in  the  fall  and 
the  snakes  go  into  their  holes  before  this  takes  place,  so  the  snake  can  not  be  present 
at  the  eagle  catching.” 


74 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


[bull,.  80 


Then  the  old  man  said,  “  You  four  may  come.  We  will  go  a  little 
way,  and  stop  and  sing  the  buffalo’s  song;  then  we  will  go  a  little 
farther,  and  stop  and  sing  the  black  eagle’s  song;  then  go  a  little 
farther,  and  stop  and  sing  the  coyote’s  song;  when  we  reach  the 
entrance  of  the  village  we  will  sing  the  snake’s  song ;  and  when  we 
enter  the  lodge  I  will  sing  my  own  four  songs.  ” 

The  old  man  told  Black  Wolf  how  to  catch  the  eagles  and  said, 
“Now  I  Avill  teach  you  my  four  songs.  The  first  is  to  be  sung  when 
you  make  the  brush  shelter  under  which  you  are  to  catch  the  eagles, 
the  second  is  to  be  sung  when  'you  make  the  sweat  lodge  in  the  eagle- 
catching  camp,  the  third  is  the  song  of  the  hollow  in  which  you  are 
to  sit  while  watching  for  the  eagles,  and  the  fourth  is  the  song  for  the 
bait.  ”  So  he  taught  Black  Wolf  the  four  following  songs. 

No.  23.  Song  When  Making  the  Brush  Shelter 

(Catalogue  No.  825) 


Voice  J  r  8o 

Drum  not  recorded 


Analysis, — Two  rhythmic  units  occur  in  this  song,  the  entire  rhyth¬ 
mic  form  of  which  is  well  developed.  It  will  be  noted  that  in  the 
first  rhythmic  unit  the  group  of  two  eighth  notes  precedes  the  dotted 
quarter  and  eighth,  while  in  the  second  unit  the  group  follows  the 
dotted  quarter  and  eighth.  The  change  of  time  occurred  in  both 
renditions.  (See  No.  8.)  Twenty-nine  progressions  occur  in  the 
song,  15  of  which  are  descending  and  14  ascending  intervals.  The 
close  of  this,  as  of  several  other  songs,  was  marked  by  a  glissando. 


DENS  more] 


MANDAN  AND  HIDATSA  MUSIC 


75 


No.  24.  ^oiig“  When  Making  the  Sweat  Lodge 


(Catalogue  No.  826) 

Voice  igs 

Drum  not  recorded 


Analysis. — The  rhythm  of  this  song  is  peculiar  but  was  accu¬ 
rately  given  in  both  renditions.  In  melodic  material  the  song  com¬ 
prises  only  five  tones  and  is  analyzed  as  having  C  as  the  keynote,  this 
placing  the  song  on  the  fourth  five-toned  scale.  The  structure  of  the 
song  is  melodic  with  harmonic  framework.  Twenty-two  progres¬ 
sions  occur,  15  of  which  are  descending  intervals. 


76 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


[bull,.  80 


No.  25.  Song  When  Making  the  Eagle  Trap 


(Catalogue  No.  827) 

Voice  J  r  ss  (/I  r  176) 

Drum  not  recorded 


f  a 

^44= 

jpM44- 

f  ^  r 

— 

- 

A- 

wa  -  si 

m  * 

^  t 

• 

t 

hu  -  a  i  i 

4 

e  e  e 

4=4 

444 

'JiJ  t4  t4^ 

1  - 

-- —  n 

I4V..|7'7  f 

U4= 

•  -  ^-1*- 

f  f 

- r=r^ 

\  y  b-  ft  ” 

LJ— U — U 

Um 

4e= 

M 

1RF 

{R.  ■  —  1 

- u 

f  flfjL 

St: 

• 

WORDS  (hid  ATS  A) 

awa'si - ^ _  the  fog 

hu'a -  I  summon 

Analysis. — Two  renditions  of  this  song  were  recorded  and  show 
no  points  of  difference.  This  is  interesting  in  view  of  the  fact  that 
the  song  comprises  a  rhythmic  unit  four  times  repeated,  and  that 
this  unit  contains  a  measure  in  three- four  time  followed  by  a  meas¬ 
ure  in  seven-eight  time,  this  in  turn  being  succeeded  by  one  in 
triple  time.  The  final  measure  of  the  unit  is  slightly  changed  in  its 
second  and  fourth  occurrences.  The  intonation  was  wavering,  yet 
the  intervals  of  a  major  triad  were  unmistakable.  From  the  last  three 
tones  there  was  a  downward  glissando  which  cannot  be  indicated  in 
notation  and  which  did  not  end  on  a  definite  tone.  This  suggested  a 
trailing  of  the  voice.  Only  one  interval  other  than  a  third  occurs  in 
the  song,  this  being  an  ascending  fifth  midway  through  the  song. 
Twenty-three  progressions  occur  in  the  melody,  14  of  which  are 
minor  thirds,  yet  the  tonality  of  the  song  is  major,  the  only  tones 
occurring  in  it  being  B  flat-D-F. 


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MANDAN  AND  HIDATSA  MUSIC 


No.  26.  Song*  When  Preparing^  the  Bait 


(Catalogue  No.  828) 

Voice  J  =  leo 

Drum  not  recorded 


;_jLrL,r..ii^=  Lfii?) Lir  'iLr± 


I 


rjf— irtniHSr  r  if.r^ 


Analysis. — This  song  is  transcribed  from  the  first  rendition,  the 
following  renditions  being  interspersed  with  frequent  cries  and 
glissando  calls.  The  melody  contains  no  tones  except  those  of  the 
tonic  triad  and  has  only  six  progressions. 


After  teaching  Black  Wolf  these  songs  the  old  man  said:  “  I  have 
given  you  my  son.  Treat  him  kindly  and  do  not  make  him  angry. 
If  you  make  him  angry  he  may  leave  you,  but  if  you  are  kind  to  him 
he  may  stay  with  you  a  long  time.  If  you  were  bad  to  him,  his 
spirit  would  still  be  faithful  and  come  back  to  you,  but  it  is  much 
better  that  he  remain  with  you  himself.  I  will  now  teach  you  four 
more  songs — the  song  of  my  son,  the  little  wolverine,  a  goose  song, 
a  swan  song,  and  a  song  of  the  twine  we  use  in  the  eagle  catching.” 
The  latter  was  probably  twine  used  in  strangling  the  eagle. 


No.  27.  Song  of  the  Little  Wolverine 

(Catalogue  No.  829) 


Drum  not  recorded 


f 


U 


Analysis. — This  melody  comprises  five  periods,  the  first  three  and 
the  last  of  which  contain,  exact  repetitions  of  a  rhythmic  unit,  while 


2118  <’—23 - 7 


78 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


[bull.  80 


the  fourth  period  contains  a  suggestion  of  the  rhythmic  unit  in  the 
count  divisions.  The  two  renditions  of  the  song  do  not  differ  in  any 
respect.  The  song  is  harmonic  in  structure,  containing  only  the 
tones  of  the  minor  triad.  The  compass  is  small,  comprising  only 
six  tones. 


No.  28.  Son^  of  the  Goose  (Catalogue  No.  830) 


Drum  not  recorded 


1 

r'  I 

— J — 

— LJ — 1 - 

1 - ^ - - 

r  r  t!irj  — 

— f  — : 

1 

r If  f  II 

1 - 

1— U 

-LJ - - \ 

- 1 

WORDS  (HIDATSA) 


nu'wilia _ abreast 

mi'ra - the  geese  dance 


Analysis, — This  song  is  peculiar  in  that  14  of  the  19  intervals  are 
thirds,  6  of  which  are  in  ascending  and  6  in  descending  progression. 
The  major  and  minor  thirds  are  equal  in  number.  ,  The  other  in¬ 
tervals  consist  of  3  fourths  and  2  fifths.  The  song  is  strongly 
harmonic  in  feeling  and  contains  only  the  tones  of  the  minor  triad 
and  seventh.  The  first  three  measures  comprise  a  rhythmic  unit 
which  is  twice  repeated,  the  only  variation  being  in  the  final  measures. 
Two  renditions  were  recorded,  and  they  are  uniform  in  every  respect. 


DENS  more] 


MANDAN  AND  HIDATSA  MUSIC 


79 


No.  29.  Song  of  the  Swan 

Voice  J  =  ss 

Drum  not  recorded 

J - 

I - - 1  '  ■0‘ 


(Catalogue  No.  831) 


f  if  f  if  f'ff  ,r  r 


(2)  J  r  69 


t/rjr  if^ 


88 


a 


tf 


m 


J.- 


69 


J  = 


Nu-we-tsa  gu-ets 


88 


WORDS  (HIDATSA) 

nu'wetsa _ one 

gu'ets _ that  is 

Analysis. — The  changes  of  time  in  this  song,  though  slight,  were 
identical  in  its  three  renditions.  Two  rhythmic  units  occur,  each 
appearing  three  times.  The  singer  had  difficulty  in  repeating  a  tone 
several  times  without  lowering  the  pitch,  a  peculiarity  often  noted 
among  Indian  singers.  The  tones  in  this  melody  are  those  of  the 
fourth  five-toned  scale  and  the  song  is  melodic  in  structure.  Twenty- 
eight  progressions  occur,  14  being  ascending  and  14  descending  in¬ 
tervals. 


80 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAIT  ETHNOLOGY 


[bull.  80 


No.  30.  Song  Concerning  the  Twine  (Catalogue  No. 832) 


Analysis. — The  rhythmic  unit  of  this  song  is  short  and  not  dis¬ 
tinctive.  All  the  tones  of  the  octave  occur  in  the  song,  which  is 
melodic  in  structure  and  major  in  tonality.  At  the  close  of  the 
song  the  voice  trailed  downward  in  a  glissando  which  is  impossible 
of  transcription. 

LEGENDS 

Origin  of  the  Flageolet 
Related  by  Ben  Benson 

At  a  place  called  the  ‘‘  Found  Missouri  ”  Granny  had  her  home. 
A  creek  called  “True  Earth  Creek”  flowed  into  the  Short  Missouri, 
and  around  the  Short  Missouri  was  a  flat  on  which  Granny’s  garden 
patch  was  located.^^  Old  Granny  often  went  to  look  at  her  field. 
Once,  just  before  reaching  the  mouth  of  the  creek,  she  saw  the  print 
of  a  little  child’s  foot  in  the  soft  ground,  and  when  she  reached  the 

The  Old  Woman  Who  Never  Dies  was  sometimes  called  Grandmother,  and  her  con¬ 
nection  with  the  corn  has  already  been  noted  (p.  41).  Will  and  Hyde,  summarizing  an 
account  by  Maximilian,  state  that  “  Her  residence  was  for  a  long  time  on  the  west  side 
of  the  Missouri,  some  10  miles  below  the  Little  Missouri  River,  on  the  banks  of  a  little 
slough  known  as  the  Short  Missouri.  A  single  large  house-ring  here  is  pointed  out  as 
the  site  of  her  home,  and  the  high  bottom  there  is  said  to  have  been  the  Grandmother’s 
field.  According  to  the  traditions,  she  became  impatient  at  the  too  frequent  visits  of 
the  Hidatsas  and  moved  into  the  west.”  (Corn  among  the  Indians  of  the  Upper  Mis¬ 
souri,  p.  223.)  The  location  is  evidently  the  same  as  that  given  in  connection  with 
this  legend,  identifying  ”  Granny  ”  as  the  Old  Woman  Who  Never  Dies. 

A  somewhat  different  version  of  this  tale  is  recorded  by  Kroeber,  with  the  title 
“  Moon-child.”  The  boy  is  the  child  of  the  Moon  and  an  earth  woman.  His  mother 
escapes  to  the  earth  and  is  killed,  but  he  lingers  near  her  body  and  steals  his  food  from 
the  garden  of  an  old  woman.  He  is  discovered  by  the  old  woman,  who  addresses  him  as 
“  My  grandchild  Moon-child.”  This  version  contains  no  mention  of  a  flageolet.  Kroeber, 
Gros  Ventre  Myths  and  Tales,  pp.  90—94. 


densmore] 


MANDAN  AND  HIDATSA  MUSIC 


81 


field  she  found  her  squashes  crushed  and  corn  broken  down.  “  That 
is  strange,”  said  Granny.  The  next  time  she  came  to  her  field  she 
saw  the  same  things.  She  thought  this  was  very  strange  and  re¬ 
solved  to  find  out  who  did  it.  So  she  went  home  and  made  a  “  kick- 
ball  ”  (pi.  16,  6,  c),  such  as  is  used  in  a  certain  woman’s  game,^®  and 
also  a  bow  and  arrows.  All  these  she  took  to  her  garden  and  left 
them  there.  The  next  time  she  went  to  her  garden  the  bow  and 
arrows  were  gone  and  the  ball  and  squashes  were  shot  full  of  arrows. 
Evidently  it  was  a  boy  and  not  a  girl  who  was  spoiling  her  garden. 
Granny  decided  to  watch  for  the  boy  arid  soon  she  saw  him  coming, 
shooting  his  little  arrows  into  the  squashes. 

“  Why  do  you  do  that  ?  ”  asked  Granny. 

“  My  mother  is  dead,”  said  the  child.  “  She  is  near  here.” 

“  Let  us  go  and  see,  ”  said  Granny. 

The  child  was  so  small  that  he  could  not  tell  how  it  all  hap¬ 
pened,  but  Granny  saw  the  dead  mother  and  realized  that  there 
was  nothing  for  her  to  do  but  to  take  the  child  to  her  house  and 
make  a  home  for  him.  This  she  did,  and  as  the  child  grew  older 
he  was  sometimes  allowed  to  go  hunting  alone.  Granny  said,  “  Be 
careful,  something  may  happen  to  you.  ” 

Now  the  boy  observed  something  which  he  could  not  at  all  under¬ 
stand.  He  noticed  that  Granny  always  put  a  kettle  of  “  stir¬ 
about”^^  in  her  bed,  and  that  the  kettle  was  empty  when  she  took 
it  out.  He  investigated  and  found  a  big  snake.  “  So  this  is  what 
eats  Granny’s  stir-about,”  said  the  little  boy.  He  thought  about 
it  a  great  deal,  saying  to  himself,  ‘‘  That  big  snake  has  been  eating 
Granny’s  stir-about.  ”  At  last  he  took  his  bow  and  arrows  and  shot 
the  snake.  When  Granny  came  home  he  told  her  what  he  had  done. 
The  snake  was  her  husband;  but  she  did  not  like  to  tell  this  to  the 
little  boy,  so  she  said,  ‘‘Good,  I  will  go  and  bury  him.”  So  she 
took  the  big  snake  outdoors  and  talked  to  him,  saying,  “  Husband, 
the  boy  is  foolish.  Sometimes  I  am  almost  afraid  of  him  myself. 
He  killed  you,  but  I  will  put  you  in  a  good  place.  ”  She  took  him  to 
the  Missouri  River,  but  he  didn’t  like  that,  so  she  took  him  back 
to  the  round  lake.  He  liked  that  place  and  said  if  she  would  put 
him  there  the  lake  would  never  be  dry.  She  put  him  there,  and  to 
this  day  the  lake  has  never  been  dry. 


76  “  Tjjg  women  are  expert  at  playing  with  a  large  leathern  ball,  which  they  let  fall 
alternately  on  their  foot  and  knee,  again  throwing  it  up  and  catching  it,  and  thus 
keeping  it  in  motion  for  a  length  of  time  without  letting  it  fall  to  the  ground.  Prizes 
are  given,  and  they  often  play  high.  The  ball  is  often  very  neat  and  curiously  covered 
with  dyed  porcupine  quills.”  Maximilian,  op.  cit.,  p.  209.  The  specimen  illustrated  was 
made  for  the  writer,  and  is  of  buffalo  hide,  filled  with  buffalo  hair. 

A  kind  of  pudding  or  mush  made  of  ground  corn  and  water,  which  is  a  favorite 
article  of  food  amorg  these  Indians. 


82 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


[bull.  80 


Granny  again  warned  the  boy  that  he  must  be  very  careful  when 
he  was  traveling  about  the  country  alone.  One  day  the  boy  started 
out  by  himself  and  came  to  a  place  where  two  men  were  butchering 
a  buffalo  cow  with  an  unborn  calf.  One  of  the  men  was  a  rough 
fellow  and  he  followed  the  boy,  carrying  the  calf  and  calling  out : 
“  Take  this  to  Granny  and  tell  her  to  cook  it  for  you.  ”  The  little 
boy  was  afraid  of  the  man,  and  in  trying  to  escape  he  backed  against 
a  leaning  tree,  then  he  backed  up  the  tree  and  along  its  branches 
to  the  farthest  end.  The  men  put  the  calf  in  the  crotch  of  the  tree 
and  they  went  on  butchering  the  buffalo  cow.  After  this  they  went 
away,  leaving  the  boy  in  the  tree.  He  stayed  there  a  long  time.  At 
last  the  two  men  came  back,  and  the  more  sensible  of  the  two  said  to 
his  companion,  “  I  told  you  not  to  scare  that  little  boy.  He  is  still 
in  the  tree.  ”  He  went  near  and  called  to  him,  saying,  “  Why  do 
you  stay  in  the  tree  ?  ”  The  little  boy  replied,  “  I’m  afraid  of  the  calf.” 

The  man  said,  “  If  you  will  take  a  message  to  Granny,  we  will 
take  down  the  calf  and  go  home.  ”  The  little  boy  consented  to  do 
this,  and  the  man  said,  “Tell  Granny  that  we  want  her  for  our 
daughter-in-law.  ” 

IVhen  the  little  boy  came  home.  Granny  pretended  to  be  much 
pleased,  though  she  had  been  hoping  that  he  would  never  come  back. 
She  said,  “  I  thought  surely  you  were  lost.”  The  little  boy  told  his 
strange  experience  and  said,  “  The  only  way  I  could  get  back  was 
by  promising  to  tell  you  that  these  men  want  you  for  their  daughter- 
in-law.”  Of  course  this  meant  that  they  wanted  the  gifts,  such 
as  robes  and  meat,  which  would  accompany  a  daughter-in-law. 
Granny  said,  “  You  did  exactly  right.  Go  back  to  the  men  and  tell 
them  we  have  decided  to  do  as  they  say.  We  will  feed  and  clothe 
them  well,  but  in  return  we  ask  for  one  of  their  bows  and  arrows.” 

The  boy  went  back  to  the  men  and  gave  Granny’s  message,  saying 
that  they  were  good  hunters  and  he  also  hunted  a  good  deal,  so  he 
would  like  one  of  their  bows.  They  gave  him  one,  but  as  soon  as 
Granny  saw  it,  she  said :  “  That  bow  is  not  good.  Their  medicine 
bow  is  patched  with  string  and  hangs  opposite  the  door.  Go  back 
again  and  say  you  have  wounded  a  deer  and  that  the  string  on  your 
bow  is  broken.  Say  that  you  want  a  bow  to  kill  the  deer,  then 
snatch  the  medicine  bow  and  run  as  fast  as  you  can.  They  will  not 
stop  you,  for  you  have  already  given  part  payment  for  it.” 

The  boy  did  as  Granny  told  him,  and  brought  back  the  bow.  She 
said,  “  They  made  you  suffer,  now  we  will  make  them  suffer  a  little.” 

Granny  went  into  the  field  and  got  a  large  sunflower  stalk.  She 
took  a  long  section  of  this,  bored  a  hole  lengthwise  through  it,  and 
cut  seven  holes  in  one  side  of  it.  She  said  the  seven  holes  represented 
the  seven  months  of  winter,  and  told  the  boy  that  when  he  blew  in 


DENS  more] 


MANDAN  AND  HIDATSA  MUSIC 


83 


it  something  would  come  out  of  it  which  would  resemble  snow.  It 
was  her  intention  to  bring  the  snow  to  punish  the  two  men  for 
frightening  the  little  boy.  So  she  told  the  boy  to  blow  in  the  end 
of  the  sunflower  stalk  and  taught  him  to  play  the  following  melody 
on  it.  A  number  of  Mandan  and  Hidatsa  said  this  melody  “  sounded 
right,”  though  they  did  not  recall  hearing  the  exact  succession  of 
tones  played  on  the  flageolet.  The  rhythmic  form  of  the  melody  is 
clear  and  the  structure  is  harmonic  (fig.  4). 

Granny  clothed  the  boy  from  head  to  foot  in  smoked  buffalo  hide 
and  told  him  exactly  what  to  do.  She  told  him  to  travel  in  four 
circles,  each  smaller  than  the  other,  and  to  play  his  flute  all  the 
time.  The  first  circle  was  to  be  at  the  foot  of  the  clouds  (horizon) , 


Fig.  4. — Flageolet  melody. 


the  next  a  little  smaller,  until  the  fourth  would  bring  him  near  the 
hunters.  Granny  said,  When  you  come  near  to  your  fathers,  they 
will  know  it.”  The  boy  started  out  and  traveled  in  a  circle  at  the 
foot  of  the  clouds,  playing  on  the  cornstalk  flute  which  Granny  had 
made  for  him.  The  two  men  were  hunting  as  usual,  and  when  the 
boy  began  to  play,  the  snow  began  to  fall.  The  two  men  said, 
“  Something  is  wrong.”  They  made  a  lodge  to  stay  in  until  the 
snow  should  stop  falling,  but  the  snow  came  faster  and  faster,  cov¬ 
ering  the  lodge  until  only  the  peak  was  above  the  snow.  Their  medi¬ 
cine  bow  was  gone,  and  they  could  kill  no  game.  Then  the  more 
sensible  of  the  two  men  said,  Someone  is  causing  this.”  And  the 
other  said,  “  It  must  be  so.” 

The  boy  kept  circling  closer  and  closer,  playing  on  his  flute,  and 
the  snow  kept  falling.  The  hunters  had  no  food,  and  they  had  only 


84 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


[bull,  bo 


melted  snow  to  drink.  When  the  boy  came  in  sight,  they  said,  ‘‘  Son, 
we  are  having  a  very  bad  time.”  The  boy  replied :  “  That  is  what 
you  gave  me  when  I  was  up  in  the  tree.  Now  it  is  my  turn  to  make 
you  do  something  for  They  said  that  they  would,  and,  after 

talking  it  over,  they  decided  to  transpose  their  relationship,  so  that 
he  would  be  their  father  instead  of  their  son.  The  boy  said,  “  All 
right.”  He  stopped  playing  on  his  flute  and  the  snow  stopped  fall¬ 
ing.  The  boy  made  all  the  snow  disappear.  The  men  were  too 
weak  to  hunt,  so  the  boy  got  plenty  of  game  for  them  and  made  them 
comfortable.  Then  he  went  home. 

"When  he  reached  home  the  old  Granny  said,  “  What  have  you 
done  ?”  The  boy  told  her  all  about  it,  and  she  said :  “  That  is  good. 
You  gave  them  some  of  their  own  treatment.”  After  that  the  two 
men  had  to  get  food  and  gifts  of  clothing  for  the  boy,  because  they 
had  agreed  that  he  should  be  their  father.  When  the  two  men  had 
secured  these  gifts  they  came  to  the  lodge  and  told  Granny  and  her 
grandchild  that  they  had  everything  to  satisfy  all  requirements,  and 
that  they  would  return  with  the  articles  in  four  days. 

Bear-on-the-flat  (pi.  14,  &),  who  related  the  three  legends  next 
following  and  recorded  their  songs,  is  one  of  the  “story-tellers”  of 
the  Mandan  tribe.  He  said  that  autumn  is  the  time  for  story-telling, 
which  is  continued  until  a  time  approximately  New  Year’s,  when  it 
ceases.  He  said  that  he  used  to  go  to  a  story-teller,  offer  him  gifts, 
and  ask  him  to  tell  his  stories,  but  that  now  he  tells  stories  himself 
and  people  come  to  him  with  similar  requests.  He  added  that  those 
who  come  to  hear  him  always  sleep  at  his  house,  as  he  “talks  al¬ 
most  all  night.” 

Wolf  Head,  who  related  two  “  folk  tales  ”  and  recorded  their 
songs,  is  one  of  the  old  Mandans.  His  material,  as  well  as  the  folk 
tale  and  its  song  by  Scattered  Corn,  was  obtained  when  the  writer 
was  camping  among  the  Indians. 

Origin  of  the  Buffalo  Dance  Society 
Related  by  Beab-on-the-flat 

In  relating  this  legend  Bear-on-the-flat  said  that  the  society  had 
not  been  in  existence  during  his  life,  but  that  he  had  heard  “  the 
old  people  ”  tell  of  it.  He  said  they  told  him  that  the  society  orig¬ 
inated  in  a  dream,  or  vision,  by  a  man  whom  they  thought  must 
have  been  a  buffalo,  though  he  lived  among  human  beings.  They 
said  that  perhaps  the  man  had  lived  among  human  beings  so  long 
he  had  forgotten  that  he  was  a  buffalo.  At  about  the  time  when 
houses  were  first  built  at  Heart  River  this  man  had  a  dream  and 


DEN5?  More] 


MANDAN  AND  HIDATSA  MUSIC 


85 


saw  a  spirit  approaching  him.  The  old  people  thought  this  spirit 
was  a  buffalo.  It  said  to  the  man,  “  Start  a  dance  society.”  The 
man  replied,  “How  shall  I  do  it?”  The  spirit  said,  “Select  men 
about  60  or  70  years  old  and  tell  them  that  after  the  society  is 
started  whoever  dances  must  give  a  war  bonnet  or  gift  of  equal 
value.  There  will  be  no  hardships  connected  with  the  society  and 
we  will  dance  when  the  sun  turns  back  ”  (meaning  during  the  short 
days  of  Avinter).  The  name  of  the  society  was  “Pasa'sa,”  and 
there  was  a  great  deal  about  it  that  was  sacred.  The  headdress 
worn  by  members  of  the  society  was  made  of  buffalo  hide  and  had 
no  horns.  Except  for  this  they  wore  no  special  costume.  The  men 
offered  a  pipe  to  the  headdresses  which  were  laid  in  a  row.  They 
offered  the  pipe  to  the  headdresses  and  afterwards  to  the  sky,  the 
cardinal  points,  and  the  earth.  The  only  exception  was  that  if  a 
man  had  a  personal  fetish  he  offered  his  pipe  to  that  before  offering 
it  to  the  sky  and  the  cardinal  points.  Those  who  could  afford  to  do 
so  brought  presents  to  the  headdresses.  They  also  took  coals  from 
the  fire,  put  them  in  a  separate  place  and  laid  cedar  on  them,  then 
they  held  the  headdress  in  the  smoke  of  the  cedar  and  then  shook  it 
to  bring  a  snowstorm,  as  though  the  snow  were  being  shaken  out  of 
the  headdress.  It  was  said  that  this  would  bring  a  blinding  snow 
wliich  would  drive  the  buffalo  from  the  open  prairie  to  the  timber 
and  hills  where  the  Indians  could  get  them.  The  old  people  said  this 
usually  succeeded  and  the  Indians  secured  many  buffalo  in  this  man¬ 
ner.  In  those  days  there  were  few  horses  and  the  Iiiuians  traveled 
afoot.  The  young  men  knew  it  was  good  to  have  the  buffalo  driven  to 
the  timber  and  hills,  and  they  willingly  gave  presents  so  the  old 
men  would  dance  the  buffalo  dance.  Then  they  would  go  and  get 
the  buffalo.  The  old  men  would  not  dance  this  dance  of  their  own 
accord — only  when  requested  to  do  so  with  gifts,  and  the  dance 
must  take  place  at  the  full  moon.  They  danced  four  days.  They 
dq^aced  until  they  were  exhausted  and  then  slept  in  the  lodge,  re¬ 
suming  the  dance  as  soon  as  they  wakened.  They  had  an  abundance 
of  food,  as  this  was  part  of  the  offering  made  with  the  request  for 
the  dance.  The  members  always  visited  the  sweat  lodge  when  the 
dancing  was  finished. 

It  is  said  that  the  society  numbered  90  or  100  men,  who  elected 
their  leader.  Women  were  allowed  to  witness  the  dancing  but  took 
no  part  in  it. 

The  words  of  the  song  were  Mandan  and  are  not  transcribed.  A 
free  translation  is  as  follows :  “  The  leader  of  the  herd  says,  ‘  We  will 
walk  in  that  mud.’  ”  The  buffalo  always  avoid  mud  holes  when 
they  are  traveling,  but  in  this  song  the  leader  of  the  herd  assures 
them  that  he  will  take  them  safely  through. 


86 


BUREAU  or  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


[hull.  80 


No.  31.  Song  of  the  Leader  of  the  Herd 

(Catalogue  No.  838) 

Recorded  by  Bear-on-the-flat 


Voice  J  r  76 
Drum  J  r  76 

See  drum  -  rhythm  below 


JIJ-J  J1 


Analysis. — The  rhythm  of  this  song  is  peculiar,  but  was  steadily 
maintained  throughout  four  renditions ;  the  intonation,  however,  was 
wavering.  In  rhythmic  form  the  melody  resembles  many  under 
analysis  in  that  the  rhythmic  unit  appears  at  the  beginning  and 
end,  while  the  third  period  is  in  a  free  rhythm  suggesting  but  not 
repeating  the  rhythmic  unit.  All  the  tones  of  the  octave  occur  in 
the  song,  which  is  melodic  in  structure.  More  than  one-third  of  the 
intervals  are  minor  thirds. 

The  Moon  and  the  Dancers 

Concerning  the  following  song  Bear-on-the-flat  said:  “Below 
where  the  city  of  Bismarck  stands  there  are  two  buttes,  one  on  each 
side  of  the  river.’^®  Once  the  dancers  of  the  young  girls’  society 

Two  buttes,  similarly  located,  are  mentioned  in  the  Origin  of  the  Little  River  Women 
Society,  p.  97. 


DEN  smoke] 


MANDAN  AND  HIDATSA  MUSIC 


87 


were  dancing  there  and  the  moon  fell  in  love  with  them.  The  moon 
said,  ‘I  will  give  you  one  of  my  songs  to  include  in  the  group  of 
your  own  songs.’  So  the  moon  sang  this  song,  which  was  after¬ 
wards  used  in  the  victory  dances  and  also  when  the  young  girls 
danced  from  house  to  house  in  the  village.” 

No.  32.  Song’  of  the  Moon  (Catalogue  No.  842) 


Recorded  by  Bear-on-the-flat 


Voice  J  z  69 
Drum  J  =  69 


See  drum- rhythm  below 


Drum  -  rhythm 

Analysis. — This  song  contains  only  the  tones  of  the  minor  triad 
and  seventh.  It  is  harmonic  in  structure  and  two-thirds  of  the 
intervals  are  downward  progressions.  The  fourth  is  prominent, 
though  often  broken  by  a  passing  tone.  More  than  half  of  the 
intervals  are  minor  thirds.  The  rhythmic  unit  is  long  and  oc¬ 
curs  three  times.  It  is  interesting  to  note  that  the  5-8  measures  were 
uniform  in  all  the  renditions. 

The  Black-tailed  Deer 

The  following  legend  was  related  by  Bear-on-the  flat:  In  the  old 
days  when  the  people  were  pressed  for  food  they  dug  pitfalls.  One 
man  had  made  such  a  trap  and  one  day,  late  in  the  fall,  he  found  a 
fat  black-tailed  deer  in  it.  He  took  his  bow  and  arrow  to  shoot,  but 
the  deer  said,  “  Don’t  send  it.”  The  man  hesitated,  but  the  deer  said 
again,  Don’t  send  it.”  This  happened  three  times,  and  the  fourth 
time  the  deer  said,  “  I  am  fat  and  in  good  condition.  If  you  kill  me 
you  will  probably  have  a  good  feast,  but  it  will  last  only  a  day  or 


88 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


[BULU  80 


two,  while  if  you  let  me  go  I  will  consider  something  good  for  you 
which  will  last  a  long  time.” 

The  man  thought  that  the  deer  must  be  a  person  to  talk  in  this 
way,  so  he  pulled  it  out  of  the  pitfall,  wiped  it  off,  and  told  it  to  go 
free.  Thence  the  deer  started  off  slowly,  stretching  itself  from 
being  so  long  in  a  cramped  position.  When  it  was  about  far  enough 
away  so  that  an  arrow  could  not  reach  it  the  deer  stopped  and  stood 
broadside  to  the  man  while  it  sung  the  following  song: 


No.  33.  Son^  of  the  Deer  (Catalogue  No.  837) 
Recorded  by  Bear-on-the-flat 


Voice  w  =  ee 
Drum  not  recorded 


WORDS  (HID  ATS  A) 

ma'pimata' _ the  first  snowstorm 

tsagi'du _ is  good 

ma'pi _ the  day 

a'wagata'rats _ not  seeing 

(Free  translation:  “At  the  first  snowstorm  times  are  good.  I  came  near 
never  seeing  that  day  again.”) 

Analysis. — The  rhythmic  form  of  this  song  is  interesting,  the 
rhythmic  unit  appearing  at  the  beginning  and  end,  while  the  third 
period  consists  chiefly  of  phrases  which  .resemble  the  rhythmic  unit. 
The  “  working  out  ”  of  the  rhythm  in  the  third  period  of  a  song 
has  been  noted  among  the  Chippewa  and  Sioux,  as  well  as  in  songs 
of  the  present  series.  Several  renditions  of  this  song  were  recorded, 
differing  only  in  the  length  of  the  tone  which  follows  the  third  oc¬ 
currence  of  the  rhythmic  unit.  The  melody  contains  the  tones  of  the 
fourth  five-toned  scale,  yet  22  of  the  30  intervals  are  minor  thirds. 


DfiNSMOEB] 


MANDAlT  AND  HIDATSA  MUSIC 


89 


FOLK  TALES 

The  Turtle  Who  Went  to  War 
Related  by  Wolf  Head 

There  was  once  a  snapping  turtle  who  wanted  to  go  to  war.  He 
asked  the  coyote  to  go  with  him  and  said,  “  Run  around  and  let  me 
see  how  fast  you  can  run.  ”  The  coyote  ran  very  fast  and  the  turtle 
did  not  take  him  because  he  ran  so  fast.  Next  he  asked  the  frog 
and  said,  “  Let  me  see  how  fast  you  can  go.”  The  frog  went  just 
about  as  fast  as  the  turtle,  so  he  decided  to  take  the  frog  with  him. 

Their  enemies  lived  across  the  river.  The  turtle  said,  “  Where 
shall  we  kill  our  enemies?  Shall  we  stay  down  by  the  water  or  go 
up  to  their  village?  ”  The  frog  said,  “We  are  such  great  men  that 
we  ought  to  go  right  into  their  houses  and  cut  off  their  heads.  ” 

They  swam  across  the  river  and  the  turtle  went  into  the  enemy’s 
house  first,  the  frog  coming  after  him.  The  turtle  cut  off  the  head 
of  one  of  the  chiefs  of  the  enemy  and  took  .his  scalp.  He  also  killed 
the  wife  of  the  chief.  Then  the  turtle  tried  to  get  out  of  the  door  but 
the  doorsill  was  so  high  that  he  could  not  get  out.  So  he  w^ent  in  the 
hole  for  the  stones  in  the  sw^eat  lodge,  taking  the  scalp  with  him.  The 
turtle  hid  himself  there.  The  enemy  looked  around  and  found  the 
turtle  with  the  scalps.  Then  the  enemy  called  a  neighboring  chief  to 
come  and  kill  the  turtle.  This  chief  came  over  and  wanted  to  put  the 
turtle  in  a  corn  mortar  and  smash  him.  The  turtle  said,  “  The  corn 
mortar  is  my  house.”  Then  the  enemy  chief  said,  “  The  fire  is  my 
medicine,  let  us  put  the  turtle  in  the  fire  and  burn  him.”  The  turtle 
said,  “  That  is  my  house.”  Then  the  enemy  chief  said,  “  The  water 
current  is  my  medicine.  If  a  log  comes  down  the  river  the  water  cur¬ 
rent  whirls  it  around,  so  I  will  put  the  turtle  in  the  water  current.” 
The  turtle  acted  very  much  afraid  when  he  heard  this,  so  the  enemy 
chief  called  every  one  to  come  to  the  river.  He  sang  four  songs,  and 
as  he  sang  the  fourth  song  he  threw  the  turtle  into  the  river.  As  the 
chief  threw  the  turtle  into  the  river  the  turtle  pulled  off  his  scalp. 
So  the  turtle  was  in  the  water  with  two  scalps.  He  showed  himself 
in  the  water  and  sang  the  following  song : 

This  story  was  translated  to  Scattered  Corn  and  to  Wounded  Face,  who  made  no 
corrections  in  it.  Ben  Benson  added  the  incident  of  the  testing  of  the  coyote.  The  same 
story  was  recorded  among  the  Chippewa  in  1908  by  the  present  writer.  The  Chippewa 
version  included  the  testing  of  several  animals  preliminary  to  the  starting  of  the  expedi¬ 
tion  and  the  taking  of  scalps  at  the  close.  In  the  Chippewa  version  the  war  party 
comprised  a  large  turtle  and  a  company  of  small  turtles. 

This  variety  of  turtle  is  called  by  the  Mandan  puke.  It  grows  to  great  size  and 
hides  in  the  mud.  It  is  said  that  one  of  these  turtles  has  been  known  to  attempt  to 
drag  a  man  into  the  current  of  the  river. 


90 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


[bull.  80 


No.  34.  Son^  of  the  Turtle  Who  Went  to  War 

(Catalogue  No.  893) 

Recorded  by  Wolf  Head 

Voice  J  =  7e 

Drum  not  recorded 

_  .  (0 


^■^£fafi„t-.-i£rrriCrT 


( Free  translation  of  words :  “  The  turtle  is  going  to  war.  He  kills  a 
man  and  a  woman.  Who  hits  it?  (counting  coup).  The  frog  hits  it. 
They  had  a  good  time  dancing  with  the  scalps  they  took.”) 

Analysis. — This  melody  contains  only  the  minor  triad  and  the 
seventh  which  is  raised  a  semitone  in  its  only  occurrence.  The 
rhythmic  form  is  interesting  and  clear.  Three  rhythmic  units  occur, 
each  containing  a  count-division  of  an  eighth  and  two  sixteenth  notes. 
The  melody  progresses  chiefly  by  minor  sixths  and  minor  thirds, 
which  is  an  unusual  characteristic.  These  intervals  are  almost  equal 
in  number  in  ascending  and  descending  progression,  and  constitute 
three- fourths  of  the  entire  number  of  intervals. 

The  Man  Who  Married  the  Birds 
Related  by  Wolf  Head 

A  man  lived  down  in  the  south  and  he  went  toward  the  west  on  a 
journey.  This  man  on  his  journey  came  to  a  large  lake  in  which 
there  were  many  birds.  Every  bird  that  can  swim  was  on  that  lake. 
The  man  said,  “  I  will  make  a  trap  and  catch  these  birds  for  my 
living.”  Then  he  said  to  himself,  ‘‘  I  had  better  make  a  house  for 
myself  first  and  then  make  the  trap.”  He  went  into  the  woods  and 
met  a  porcupine  woman,  whom  he  married.  He  said  to  the  porcu¬ 
pine  woman,  “  I  have  found  lots  of  birds  that  we  can  catch  and  eat.” 
When  his  house  was  finished,  he  went  to  the  lake  and  caught  a  goose, 
but  instead  of  killing  the  goose  he  married  her.  The  next  day  he 


dbnsmore] 


MANDAN  AND  HIDATSA  MUSIC 


91 


went  to  the  lake  to  look  at  his  trap  and  found  a  white  ^oose,  whom 
he  married  also.  The  third  day  he  went  to  the  lake  to  look  at  his  trap 
and  he  found  a  crane,  whom  he  married  also.  The  next  day  he  went 
again  and  found  another  bird,  a  heron,  whom  he  married.  The 
next  day  he  got  a  duck  and  married  her,  and  the  day  after  that  he 
found  a  diving  duck  with  a  white  bill,  whom  he  married  also. 

The  porcupine  woman  said,  “How  is  this?  You  said  we  would 
have  birds  to  eat  but  you  marry  them  all.” 

The  next  day  the  man  went  over  to  the  lake  and  caught  a  little 
yellow  bird,  whom  he  married.  The  next  day  he  went  and  got  a  big 
bird  (Mandan  term,  rist)^  and  married  her  also.  The  man  said, 
“  We  will  all  dance.”  The  wives  said,  “  How  are  we  going  to  dance?” 
He  said,  “  Wait  for  me.”  This  was  in  the  fall  of  the  year.  He  went 
out  and  got  a  great  deal  of  “  white  fox”  (a  plumed  grass)  and  gave 
each  of  his  wives  as  much  as  they  could  hold ;  he  also  gave  them  white 
and  yellow  corn.  Then  he  said,  “  I  have  to  make  a  drum  before  we 
dance.”  He  went  out  and  saw  a  leaf  and  said,  “  This  will  be  a  drum, 
and  the  cover  will  be  antelope  hide,  trimmed  with  a  pattern  of  goose 
tracks  around  the  side.”  Then  the  leaf  turned  into  a  drum  covered 
with  antelope  hide  and  with  a  pattern  of  goose  tracks  around  the 
edge.  He  took  another  leaf  and  said,  “  This  will  be  my  rattle.”  So 
the  leaf  turned  into  a  rattle. 

When  they  started  to  dance  he  said  to  the  porcupine  woman,  “  You 
must  dance  last,  behind  the  birds.”  The  first  goose  whom  he  married 
was  the  leader.  The  man  said,  “  We  are  going  to  dance  four  days  and 
the  dance  will  be  called  the  Goose  Dance.”  So  they  went  out  to 
dance  and  they  danced  four  times  and  then  went  back  to  their  house. 
The  second  day  that  they  danced  the  man  was  out  also,  and  one  of 
the  geese  said  to  him,  “  Winter  is  coming.  Perhaps  you  will  kill  us.” 
This  was  in  the  late  fall  and  it  was  snowing.  The  man  sang  every 
day  while  they  danced  and  he  always  shut  his  eyes.  On  the  third 
day  when  the  man  shut  his  eyes  the  same  goose  said,  “If  you  sing  and 
shut  your  eyes  again  we  will  fly  away  and  save  our  lives.”  They 
went  out  to  dance  on  the  fourth  day  and  the  man  shut  his  eyes  again 
as  he  sang.  Before  that  day  the  geese  had  sung  with  the  man.  but 
on  that  day,  after  his  eyes  had  been  shut  for  a  while,  he  noticed 
that  the  birds  were  not  singing.  Then  he  opened  his  eyes  and  saw 
them  all  flying  aw^ay.  He  ran  after  them  and  said,  “  Do  not  fly 
away.  I  have  always  loved  you.”  But  the  geese  and  all  the  birds 
kept  flying  away  toward  the  south. 

After  the  birds  had  flown  away  he  went  back  to  his  house  to  find 
the  porcupine  woman,  but  she  was  gone  too, 


92 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


[bull.  80 


No.  35.  Son^  of  the  Man  Who  Married  the  Birds 

(Catalogue  No.  894) 

Recorded  by  Wolf  Head 


Voice  J  =  104 

Drum  not  recorded 


1  li 

f  f  f  P  f  f  r 

it  g ,1  <1 

_ 

y  » — — 1  g— 1  ^  ^ 

- 't  4.  ■  -  - .  -  -  -  - 

.  f  Ti  I  r  L 

F  TI  F  n 

if  in  if  1  1 

r  1  1  1  1  II 

- T  -  = 

1  LLArJ—Ziurfl 

Analysis. — This  song  resembles  the  preceding  in  its  minor  tonality- 
hut  differs  from  it  in  both  melodic  and  rhythmic  form.  The  preced¬ 
ing  song  was  characterized  by  minor  sixths  and  minor  thirds;  the 
present  song  is  characterized  by  fourths,  which  constitute  two-thirds 
of  the  intervals.  There  is  more  action  in  this  story,  and  the  interval 
of  a  fourth  has  been  noted  repeatedly  in  similar  songs.  This  melody 
has  no  rhythmic  unit  and  contains  all  the  tones  of  the  octave  except 
the  sixth  and  seventh. 

The  Coyote  and  the  Skunk 
Relatej)  by  Scatteeed  Corn  ^ 

The  coyote  and  the  skunk  were  both  hungry,  so  the  coyote  said, 
“  Let  us  get  up  a  play  (or  pretense).  We  will  go  over  to  that  prairie 
dog  village  and  get  some  food.”  Then  he  went  into  the  lake  and  cut 
some  hollow  rushes.  He  cut  them  in  sections  about  a  foot  long  and 
tied  several  to  each  ear  of  the  sluink  and  also  to  his  tail.  He  told 
the  skunk  to  dance,  and  the  hollow  reeds  rattled.  The  coyote  de¬ 
cided  that  the  skunk  should  dance  and  he  would  be  the  drummer, 
so  they  went  together  to  the  prairie  dog  village.  All  the  prairie 
dogs  said,  “  Come  and  see  this  wonderful  thing  that  has  come  to  our 
village.”  The  skunk  danced  and  the  coyote  drummed  and  all  the 
prairie  dogs  came  to  look  at  them.  Slowly  the  skunk  and  the  coyote 
moved  away  from  the  village.  The  prairie  dogs  did  not  notice  this 
because  they  were  so  interested,  and  they  followed  the  skunk  and 
the  coyote,  who  led  them  a  long  way  from  their  village.  Then  the 
coyote  and  the  skunk  ate  all  the  prairie  dogs. 

This  story  has  been  made  into  a  play  by  the  little  girls,  who  walk 
in  a  line  singing  the  following  song  and  each  holding  the  dress  of  the 
girl  in  front  of  her. 

This  folk  tale  was  related  also  by  Wolf  Head  and  Crow’s  Heart.  The  several  versions 
were  compared  and  the  one  herewith  presented  was  found  to  he  the  most  complete. 


pensmore] 


MANDAN  AND  HIDATSA  MUSIC 


93 


No.  36.  Dancing^  Song  of  the  Skunk  (Catalogue  No.  820) 

4 

Recorded  by  Scatte^ied  Corn 


Voice  s  z  es 

Drum  not  recorded 


r~ - 1 

- 1 

~  f  -  f  f  •  f  f 

L 

L L_ 1  

*1*  1*  *1 

We  -su  -  te  -  Ke  -  do  -  lie  -  do  we  -  su  -  te  -  lie  -  do  -  lie  -  do 


mi-  na-ko-AV-Ke  -  do  ^  He  -  do  mi-na-ko-AV-He  -  do  -  He-  do 


TV'H' 

F— H 

E  A 

-T — r-T-r 

* 

— T-f — ir 

1  ^1 

mis- ta-bus-bus  mi-na-he  Hka-he  mi-na-he  Hka-he 

WORDS  (MANDAN) 

we^'sutelieMolie'do . my  tail  rattles 

mUnakoHe^doHe^do . my  ears  rattle 

na^taHe^doHe^do . each  end  rattles 

a^m.esi^kohka . my  whole  body  rattles 

mis^tabus'bus . my  face  is  striped 

mi^'nahe  bka^'lie . my  back  is  striped 


Analysis. — The  accented  tones  of  this  song  present  an  unusual 
monotony.  The  first  four  measures  begin  with  an  accented  G,  the 
next  five  with  D,  and  the  last  two  with  E.  The  descent  of  an  octave 
in  the  third  measure  from  the  last  extends  the  compass  of  the  song  to 
13  tones.  The  low  tone  is  short  and  was  simply  touched  by  the  voice, 
as  it  was  below  the  singer’s  natural  range.  Forty -nine  progressions 
occur  in  the  song,  28  of  which  are  minor  thirds.  The  song  is  melodic 
in  structure  and  contains  the  tones  of  the  major  triad  and  sixth. 


2118°— 23 - 8 


94 


bureau  of  americai^  ethnology 


[bull..  80 


HAND  AN  WOMEN’S  SOCIETIES 

Songs  of  three  Mandan  women’s  societies  are  here  presented,  these 
being  the  Skunk,  Enemy,  and  Little  River  Women  Societies.  The 
Goose  Women  Society  is  considered  in  a  previous  section  (see  pp. 
39-47).  The  Skunk  and  Enemy  Societies  are  said  to  have  been  of 
Hidatsa  origin,  but  organizations  appear  to  have  existed  independ¬ 
ently  in  the  two  tribes.  The  Little  River  Women  Society  is  admit¬ 
ted  to  have  been  Mandan  in  its  origin. 

Skunk  Society 

This  was  said  to  include  little  girls  betwen  the  ages  of  8  and  13. 
After  the  return  of  a  successful  war  party  they  went  at  evening  and 
“  serenaded  the  warriors,”  for  which  they  were  rewarded  with  gifts. 
One  singer  usually  led  the  society  in  these  serenades.  Lowie®® 
amplifies  this  information  by  stating  that  the  faces  of  the  girls 
were  “  painted  black  with  charcoal  except  for  a  triangular  area 
tapering  from  the  center  of  the  forehead  toward  the  nose,  which 
was  daubed  with  white  clay.  An  eagle  plume  was  stuck  upright 
in  the  back  of  the  head.  There  was  a  single  male  singer  with  a 
drum.”  He  states  further  that  the  painting  of  the  face  was  intended 
to  represent  the  appearance  of  skunks.  Admission  into  the  society 
was  purchased  from  a  “  mother  ”  by  many  gifts,  and  a  four  nights’ 
dance  followed  by  a  feast  signalized  the  recognition  of  girls  as  mem¬ 
bers  of  the  organization. 

Four  songs  of  this  society  v^ere  recorded,  but  only  one  is  tran¬ 
scribed. 


Cf.  Lowie,  Societies  of  the  Hidatsa  and  Mandan  Indians,  pp.  323—354. 
8®  Ibid.,  p.  325. 


DENS  more] 


MANDAN  A'NT)  HIDATSA  MUSIC 


95 


No.  37.  “He  Never  Will  Return”  (Catalogue  No.  807) 


Recorded  by  Scattered  Corn 


Voice  J  r  76 
Drum  J  =  76 

See  drum- rhythm  below 


Wa  -  Hi  -  ke  -  nu  -  se 


Drum-  rhythm 

J  J  J  J 


WORDS  (MANDAN) 


wa'Hikenuse' _ that  bad  one 

ki'tenikuk' _ will  never  return  home 

sehe'kona _ _ the  coyotes 

nasa'namake _ will  prey  upon  his  body 

Analysis. — This  melody  progresses  chiefly  by  major  seconds, 
though  the  fourth  and  minor  third  are  frequent  intervals.  The 
tone  material  is  that  of  the  fourth  five-toned  scale.  In  structure  the 
song  is  harmonic,  with  a  compass  of  an  octave.  While  rhythmic  in 
general  character,  it  contains  no  rhythmic  unit. 


Enemy  Society 


Scattered  Corn  said  that  she  belonged  to  this  society  when  she  was 
about  10  years  old,  adding  that  “  no  one  ever  bought  the  society 
from  us,  so  we  still  keep  it.” 

Concerning  this  society  Lowie  says :  ‘‘A  crier  called  all  the 

women  together.  The  members  marched  two  abreast.  Two  long 


^  Op.  cit.,  p.  327. 


96 


bureau  of  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


[bull. 


hooked  poles  were  stuck  into  the  ground  by  a  man,  and  two  such 
sticks  were  afterwards  carried  by  the  two  leaders  and  a  similar 
pair  by  the  two  women  in  the  rear  of  the  procession.  The  poles 
were  wrapped  with  otter  skin  and  decorated  with  eagle  feathers. 
All  the  women  wore  a  headband  decorated  with  crossing  eagle 
feathers  and  a  bunch  of  feathers  dyed  red.  .  .  .  The  dance  took 
place  originally  as  a  jubilee  over  a  slain  enemy ;  in  later  times  it  was 
performed  whenever  some  member,  or  outsider,  provided  a  feast 
for  the  society.  In  dancing  the  performers  approached  the  fire¬ 
place  and  then  moved  back  again.  There  was  no  uniform  step; 
some  danced  faster,  others  more  slowly.  A  performance  lasted  four 
nights.” 

Ilairy-coat  sang  for  Dr.  Lowie  a  song  with  the  same  words  as 
the  song  herewith  presented.  It  is  unfortunate  that  the  melody  is 
not  available  for  comparison.  The  words  recorded  by  Dr.  Lowie, 
with  their  translation,  are  as  follows : 

“  Makooxpa'  na'kirac  i'ru  mi  i'kata'mc  hiri'ts 

Woman  friend  your  husband  fixedly  (  ?)  me  he  looks  at  he  did  it 

na'cirihito'k  ? 

Will  you  throw  him  away  ? 

No.  38.  “He  Stared  At  Me”  (Catalogue  No.  819) 


Recorded  by  Scattered  Corn 

Voice  J  r  so 

Drum  not  recorded 

r 


j  — 


li  J 


1  r 


. ^ 


Ma 


gu-ali-ba  na*ki*das  nu  -  mi  i  .  ka  -  ta  -  rus-hi-na- 

1  r 


1.^ 

de  -  tok 


I 


81 


WORDS  (HIDATSA) 


maguali'ba _ my  dear  friend 

na'kidas _ your  husband 

numi'  _ at  me 

ikatarus'hidits _ how  he  stared  ! 

na'sidetok _ will  you  throw  him  away? 


Op.  cit.,  p.  330. 

The  first  syllable  of  this  word  was  omitted  by  the  singer. 


DENS  more] 


MANDAN  AITD  HIDATSA  MUSIC 


97 


Analysis. — Several  renditions  of  this  song  were  recorded,  and  in 
them  all  the  intonation  and  time  were  somewhat  wavering.  The 
rhythmic  unit  is  short  and  crisp,  but,  in  accordance  with  a  frequent 
custom,  it  does  not  appear  in  the  portion  of  the  song  which  contains 
the  words.  Only  one  interval  larger  than  a  minor  third  occurs  in 
the  song,  this  being  an  ascending  fourth.  All  the  tones  of  the  octave 
except  the  second  are  used  in  the  song,  which  is  melodic  in  struc¬ 
ture  and  minor  in  tonality.  The  song  ends  on  the  unaccented 
portion  of  the  measure.  (Cf.  No.  12.) 

The  Little  River  Women  Society 

Young  girls  12  to  18  years  of  age  joined  this  society  by  purchasing 
the  songs  from  women  who  had  been  members  for  about  10  years 
and  who  thereby  retired  from  participation  in  the  ceremony.  A 
woman  who  “  sold  the  songs  ”  received  valuable  gifts  from  the  young 
girl  to  whom  she  sold  them,  such  gifts  usually  including  a  horse  or 
a  buffalo  robe.  She  also  made  the  headdress  worn  by  the  girl  at  the 
first  meeting  of  the  society  which  she  attended.  Meetings  of  the 
society  were  always  held  in  the  spring  and  might  be  repeated  in  the 
fall  if  some  one  wished  to  join  the  society  at  that  time.  Scattered 
Corn,  who  recorded  the  ceremonial  songs  of  the  society  and  contrib¬ 
uted  many  details  to  the  accompanying  description,  was  a  member  of 
the  society  from  her  sixteenth  to  her  twenty-seventh  year.  In  de¬ 
scribing  the  society  she  mentioned  the  names  of  37  women  who  were 
members  of  it  during  the  term  of  her  own  membership.  Wounded 
Face,  who  assisted  in  this  narrative,  was  present  when  she  joined  the 
society  and  was  the  only  person  living  (in  1915)  who  attended  that 
ceremony.  Sitting  Rabbit  (pi.  15,  h)  also  was  familiar  with  the 
usage  of  the  society,  and  contributed  information  concerning  it. 

ORIGIN  OF  THE  LITTLE  RIVER  WOMEN  SOCIETY 

On  the  west  bank  of  the  Missouri  River  is  a  bare  peak  known  as 
Eagle  Nose,®®  and  on  the  opposite  bank  of  the  river  is  another  peak. 
In  *Eagle  Nose  Peak,  as  well  as  in  all  the  buttes  and  in  the  trees, 
there  used  to  live  certain  strange  beings  called  “  spirit  wmmen.” 


^  This  subject  was  first  studied  in  1912  with  Bear-on-the-flat  as  informant,  Mr.  C. 
Hoffman  interpreting,  the  material  being  translated  through  the  Hidatsa  language,  as  no 
Mandan  interpreter  was  available.  Later  it  was  taken  up  with  Scattered  Corn,  and  a 
few  days  later  with  Sitting  Rabbit,  James  Holding  Eagle  interpreting  the  Mandan  lan¬ 
guage.  The  account  given  by  all  was  substantially  the  same,  differing  only  in  details. 
This  material  was  combined  and  in  1915  was  translated  into  Mandan  by  James  Holding 
Eagle,  and  was  discussed  by  Scattered  Corn  and  other  of  the  older  Mandan.  Some 
details  were  added  and  the  principal  songs  were  recorded  a  second  time  (see  pp.  100- 
101).  A  slightly  different  origin  legend  is  recorded  by  Lowie,  op.  cit.,  pp.  341-342. 

The  native  term  is  translated  Bird  Beak  by  Wilson  (Hidatsa  Agriculture,  p.  7),  but 
Eagle  Nose  is  the  common  translation  among  the  writer’s  informants.  The  butte  is 
located  about  15  miles  below  the  present  site  of  Mandan,  N.  Dak. 


98 


bureau  of  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


[bull.  80 


Long  ago  two  Mandan  women  were  taken  away  by  the  spirit  women. 
One  came  back,  but  the  other  lived  in  Eagle  Nose  Peak,  and  it  was 
through  her  help  that  the  Mandan  women  received  the  Little  River 
Women  Society.  All  the  spirit  women  who  lived  in  the  buttes  and 
the  trees  once  met  together  and  decided  to  teach  a  society  to  the 
Mandans.  Then  this  woman  said  she  would  go  as  their  interpreter, 
because  she  understood  the  language  of  the  spirit  women  and  also 
that  of  the  Mandan  people.  The  spirit  women  did  not  have  this 
society.  They  planned  it  in  order  to  give  it  to  the  Mandan,  and 
while  they  were  in  the  bare  peak  planning  the  society  each  woman 
wore  as  a  headdress  one  of  the  bright  green  snakes  that  are  some¬ 
times  found  in  the  buttes. 

When  all  was  ready,  the  spirit  women  came  out  of  the  bare  peak, 
crossed  the  Missouri  River,  and  started  for  the  Mandan  village,  still 
wearing  the  bright  green  snakes  twined  around  their  heads.  After 
they  had  gone  a  little  distance  they  met  an  eagle,  who  said,  “  Let 
me  go  with  you,  and  I  will  give  you  one  of  my  feathers  to  add  to 
your  headdress.”  The  spirit  women  took  one  of  the  feathers  and 
let  the  eagle  come  with  them.  For  this  reason  a  feather  was  always 
worn  in  the  front  of  the  headdress  of  this  society.  Next  they  met  a 
coyote,  who  said,  “  If  I  do  not  belong  to  your  society  it  will  not  suc¬ 
ceed.”  The  coyote  gave  them  a  song  which  was  always  sung  at  the 
close  of  the  ceremony  (No.  43),  and  asked  them  to  add  to  their  head¬ 
dress  a  wreath  of  plumy  grass  which  resembled  his  fur.  In  return 
for  this  he  was  allowed  to  go  with  them  and  share  the  feast.  As  they 
came  to  a  creek  they  met  a  bear,  who  said,  “  You  may  meet  trouble 
on  your  way,  so  you  must  wear  claws  to  protect  you  from  enemies  you 
meet  and  from  those  who  may  follow  you.”  The  bear  also  gave 
them  a  song  (No.  41).  For  this  reason  the  bear  was  allowed  to  go 
with  them  and  share  the  feast,  and  when  the  ceremony  was  held  there 
were  two  women  who  wore  necklaces  of  bear’s  claws. 

The  spirit  women  came  to  a  creek  and  there  they  saw  an  otter  and 
a  flat  clamshell.  Both  wanted  to  join  the  new  society,  so  the  spirit 
women  allowed  them  to  come.  For  this  reason,  when  the  ceremony 
was  held,  a  woman  walked  in  the  middle  of  the  procession  wearing 
the  fur  of  an  otter  ornamented  with  a  polished  clamshell.  The 
song  given  the  women  by  the  shell  is  fourth  in  the  group  of  cere¬ 
monial  songs  (No.  42). 

When  the  spirit  women  entered  the  Mandan  village  they  were  still 
wearing  the  bright  green  snakes  twined  around  their  heads,  together 
with  the  eagle  feather  and  the  wreath  of  plumy  grass.  They  also 
wore  the  bear  claws,  the  otter  fur,  and  the  polished  shell.  Their  feet 
did  not  touch  the  ground  as  they  entered  the  village  because  they 
were  spirit  women.  They  said,  We  bring  the  society  because  you 


dbnsmorb] 


MANDAN  AND  HIDATSA  MUSIC 


99 


are  the  people  of  the  Missouri  River,”  and  they  told  the  young 
women  to  bring  food  for  a  feast.  The  young  women  took  food 
and  gifts  into  their  lodge.  The  spirit  women  ate  but  did  not  talk — 
they  only  whispered  to  each  other.  After  the  feast  they  taught 
certain  songs  (Nos.  39-43)  to  the  maidens,  and  because  they  were 
spirit  songs  they  were  easy  to  learn.  The  maidens  learned  them  all 
that  night.  The  spirit  women  also  taught  them  the  Little  River 
W omen  ceremony  in  which  the  songs  were  to  be  sung.  Around  their 
heads  the  spirit  women  still  wore  the  living  snakes,  but  they  taught 
the  Mandan  maidens  to  braid  grass  to  resemble  snakes  and  told  them 
to  make  and  wear  such  headdresses  whenever  they  held  a  ceremony 
of  the  society. 

Then  the  spirit  women  went  away,  but  the  Mandan  women  did 
everything  as  they  had  been  instructed  by  the  spirit  women. 

CEREMONY  OF  THE  LITTLE  RIVER  WOMEN  SOCIETY 

This  ceremony,  as  already  stated,  took  place  in  the  spring  of  the 
year,  but  could  be  held  also  in  the  fall.  Four  days  were  required 
for  the  ceremony,  and  during  the  intervening  nights  the  women 
slept  in  the  ceremonial  lodge.  They  could  go  to  their  homes  during 
the  day,  and  usually  worked  in  the  gardens  in  the  mornings.  A  pro¬ 
cession  was  held  in  the  early  evening,  the  crier  summoning  the 
women  to  their  lodge  to  prepare  for  it.  At  the  time  of  the  procession 
the  men  singers,  usually  five  in  number,  took  their  places  at  the 
drum  in  the  center  of  the  village.  The  Little  River  women  formed 
in  a  line  within  their  lodge.  All  wore  headdresses  of  braided  grass 
representing  snakes  and  having  an  eagle  feather  in  the  front.  The 
procession  was  in  a  regular  order.  At  the  head  and  also  at  the  end 
of  the  procession  walked  a  woman  wearing  a  necklace  of  bear  claws 
and  midway  the  length  of  the  line  was  a  woman  wearing  an  otter  skin 
ornamented  with  a  polished  shell.®^  The  procession  passed  around 
the  village  circle,  moving  from  east  to  west,  and  at  the  cardinal 
points  the  maidens  paused  and  danced  for  a  few  moments.  When 
they  had  completed  the  circuit  of  the  village  they  formed  a  circle 
outside  their  lodge  and  danced,  singing  the  four  principal  songs 
that  were  taught  them  by  the  spirit  women  (Nos.  39-42).  Then 
they  danced  into  the  door  of  the  lodge,  two  by  two,  singing  a  dance 


Scattered  Corn  said  that  the  spirit  women  came  to  the  Mandans  when  they  were 
living  in  two  villages,  both  of  which  seem  to  have  had  the  ceremony  at  the  same  time. 
Some  said,  however,  that  “  as  the  real  Mandans  lived  at  Deapolis  the  spirit  women 
probably  went  there  and  the  women  from  Deapolis  took  the  ceremony  to  the  women 
at  the  Fort  Clark  village.”  At  a  later  time  one  of  the  villages  was  destroyed  and  the 
societies  of  the  two  villages  combined,  so  that  there  were  twice  as  many  wearers  of  bear 
claws  and  special  ornaments  as  were  indicated  by  the  spirit  women.  Thus  in  later  years 
there  were  ifour  women  with  necklaces  of  bear  claws  and  two  with  ornaments  of  otter 
skin  and  polished  shell.  This  narrative,  however,  gives  the  original  number.  Scattered 
Com  was  one  of  the  women  who  wore  a  bear-claw  necklace. 


100 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


[bull.  80 


song  (No.  44).  After  entering,  they  danced  around  the  lodge  sing¬ 
ing  the  same  song,  then  seated  themselves  and  rested  a  while. 

The  drum  was  brought  into  the  lodge,  the  singers  took  their  places, 
and  many  spectators  came  to  watch  the  dancers.  After  a  short  time 
the  singers  at  the  drum  started  the  Bear  song  (No.  41)  and  all  the 
Little  River  Women  rose  and  danced.  The  two  women  who  wore 
the  bear-claw  necklaces  danced  near  together  and  close  to  the  fire. 
After  the  song  was  finished  the  dancers  remained  standing  and  the 
women  who  wore  the  bear  claws  gave  presents  to  those  from  whom 
they  purchased  their  membership  in  the  society ;  they  also  gave  gifts 
to  all  their  relatives  and  friends.  This  was  followed  by  the  singing 
of  the  Shell  song  (No.  42),  and  the  woman  who  wore  the  polished 
shell  gave  gifts  as  the  women  with  the  bear  claws  had  done.  Any 
songs  could  be  sung  after  these,  but  the  four  principal  songs  taught 
by  the  spirit  women  were  sung  several  times  during  each  evening. 
At  the  close  it  was  customary  to  sing  the  song  of  the  coyote,  which 
also  marked  the  end  of  the  entire  ceremony.  All  danced  and  the 
singing  was  peculiar  in  that  it  began  slowly  and  accelerated  in  tempo. 

Each  -night  a  rawhide  thong  was  stretched  across  the  lodge  and  on 
it  the  headdresses  were  hung.  If  the  women  awoke  and  found 
that  one  of  their  number  was  missing  they  at  once  instituted  a  search 
and  compelled  her  to  return.  As  they  went  about  the  village  seeking 
for  her  they  sang  the  following  Mandan  words  to  the  melody  of  the 
first  song  given  by  the  spirit  women  (No.  39)  : 


i'mupa _ my  companion  (gee  p.  53) 

wa'aiii _ hear 

wahu'na _ -  come 


At  the  end  of  the  fourth  day  the  women  who  had  taken  part  in 
the  ceremony  were  “  cleansed  ”  by  an  old  man  who  had  “  eagle  medi¬ 
cine.”  Their  bodies  were  brushed  with  a  spray  of  wild  peppermint 
dipped  in  water,  the  old  man  meantime  singing  his  own  medicine 
song. 

The  casting  away  of  the  headdresses  marked  the  conclusion  of  the 
ceremony,  all  the  headdresses  being  placed  together. 

It  is  said  that  once  a  member  of  the  society  would  not  believe  that 
the  braided  grass  represented  a  snake.  After  a  ceremony  she  did 
not  put  her  headdress  with  those  of  the  other  women  but  threw  it 
carelessly  aside.  Later  a  friend  saw  it  and  placed  it  with  the  others. 
After  a  time  the  first  woman  went  to  the  place  where  the  wreaths  had 
been  laid  and  instead  of  braided  grasses  she  saw  a  heap  of  living 
snakes. 

The  principal  songs  of  the  spirit  women  (Nos.  39,  40,  41,  and  42) 
were  recorded  by  Scattered  Corn  in  1912  and  again  in  1916,  the  two 


dbnsmobe] 


MANDAN  AND  HIDATSA  MUSIC 


101 


series  being  made  on  phonographs  of  different  manufacture.  On 
comparing  the  transcriptions  we  find  that  the  pitch  of  every  song  is 
the  same  in  the  record  made  in  1915  as  in  the  record  made  in  1912 
and  that,- with  one  exception,  the  tempo  is  the  same  in  the  two  series. 
The  exception  in  tempo  in  No.  39  which  was  sung  at  J=:100  in  1912 
and  J=108  in  1915,  a  difference  so  slight  as  to  be  of  no  importance 
except  that  the  others  duplicated  the  time  exactly.  In  Nos.  40  and  41 
the  tone  values  were  precisely  the  same  in  the  two  series  (cf.  analysis 
of  No.  85).  In  No.  42  there  are  slight  differences  in  the  tone  values 
of  the  first  four  measures,  after  which  the  transcriptions  of  the  two 
records  are  identical.  Both  transcriptions  of  No.  39  are  given  here¬ 
with. 

No.  39.  Song^  of  the  Spirit  Women  (Catalogue  No.  800) 


Kecorded  by  Scattered  Corn 

Voice  J  r  los 
Drum  J  r  los 

Drum-rhythm  similar  to  No.  37 
(1) 


jp  p  sfj  iig  n.  p)  iiMg'fei 

(2) 

- 1  I - - :i.  1 


(0 


a 


(2) 


-  ^  f^ll  ^  ' 


mu  -  pa  ma-ta  -  -  so  na  - 


hu-w-do  {vocables) 


ma  - 


102 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


[bull.  80 


WOKDS  (MANDAN) 


i'mupa _  my  best  friend  (a  term 

used  by  one  young  girl 
in  addressing  another) 

mata^so _  whence 

nahu'do _ have  you  come? 

ma'himikta _ from  a  bare  peak 

wehu'dote _ I  have  come 


Analysis. — The  transcriptions  of  this  song  as  recorded  in  1912  and 
1915  are  typical  examples  of  a  somewhat  imperfect  and  a  more  exact 


Duplication  of  preceding 


Voice  4  z  loo 
Drum  not  recorded 


rendition  of  an  Indian  song.  This  was  the  first  song  recorded  by 
Scattered  Corn  and  the  strangeness  of  the  process  may  have  dis¬ 
tracted  her  attention,  or  there  may  have  been  some  circumstance  at 
the  time,  or  some  person  present  who  made  it  difficult  for  her  to  con- 


DENS  more] 


MANDAN  AND  HIDATSA  MUSIC 


103 


centrate  her  mind  on  the  singing.  The  second  form  of  the  melody 
is  undoubtedly  the  correct  form,  as  it  has  a  rhythmic  coherence  which 
did  not  vary  in  the  four  repetitions  of  the  song.  It  will  be  noted  • 
that  the  record  made  in  1912  contains  no  rhythmic  unit,  while  that 
made  in  1915  contains  two  rhythmic  units.  No  drum  was  used  when 
the  songs  were  recorded  in  1912  but  in  the  later  recording  a  drum 
was  used,  the  drum  and  voice  maintaining  the  same  tempo. 

Attention  is  directed  to  the  compass  of  the  melody  (13  tones), 
the  extreme  intervals  of  which  were  sung  with  good  intonation, 
though  the  lowest  tone  was  sung  softly.  The  song  is  harmonic  in 
structure  and  contains  only  the  tones  of  the  major  triad  and  sixth. 
Two-thirds  of  the  progressions  are  downward  and  71  per  cent  are 
major  and  minor  thirds. 

No. 40.  “The  Missouri  Women”  (Catalogue No.  801) 


Recorded  by  Scattered  Corn 

Voice  J  =  152 


WORDS  (MANDAN) 


ma'tamiiki _ the  Missouri  (River)  women 

si'dotMe _ _ are  the  best 


Analysis. — In  the  analysis  of  this  song  as  recorded  in  1912  it  was 
stated  that  ‘‘the  intonation  is  wavering  in  the  latter  portion  of  the 
song  but  the  tone  transcribed  as  B  natural  is  always  kept  in  semitone 
relation  to  the  tones  which  precede  and  follow  it.”  The  intonation 
was  good  throughout  the  four  renditions  of  the  song  recorded  in 
1915,  the  singer  having  a  poise  and  confidence  which  was  lacking  on 


104 


BUREAU  OP  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


[bull.  80 


the  former  occasion.  The  song  is  harmonic  in  structure  and  minor 
in  tonality.  Two-thirds  of  the  intervals  are  downward,  as  in  the 
•  preceding  song.  The  interval  of  a  fourth  is  prominent  in  the  struc¬ 
ture  of  the  melody,  though  it  appears  only  three  times  as  a  progres¬ 
sion.  The  tones  are  those  of  the  minor  triad  and  seventh  (see  No.  12) . 

No.  41.  Song  of  tife  Bear  (Catalogue  No.  802) 


Recorded  by  Scatteeed  Coen 

Voice  J  =  144 
Drum  J  =  144 


Hi-do-wa-  liai)-ke  -  te 


r-,  ^ 

1 - 

n 

- 1 

==B 

^  -  J:--i 

J  5 

-J 

WOEDS  (MANDAN) 


hido^'wahag^kete _ here  I  am 

Analysis. — Five  renditions  of  this  song  were  recorded  in  1915, 
the  pitch,  tempo,  tone-values,  and  words  being  the  same  as  in  the 
renditions  of  1912.  The  melody  is  somewhat  more  elaborate  than  the 
two  preceding.  It  contains  the  tones  of  the  fourth  five-toned  scale 
and  in  structure  is  melodic  with  harmonic  framework.  One-half  the 
l)rogressions  are  major  seconds,  the  next  in  frequency  being  minor 
thirds.  The  rhythmic  unit  is  clear  and  occurs  four  times  with  a 
partial  repetition  after  the  third  phrase. 


DENS  MORE] 


MANDAN  AND  HIDATSA  MUSIC 


105 


No.  42.  Song  of  the  Shell  (Catalogue  No.  803) 
Recorded  by  Scattered  Corn 


Voice  J  =  leo 
Drum  J  r  leo 

Drum-rhythm  similar  to  No. 37 


1  **  -  -  • 

1 

— - 

1 

1  m  . 

1  /Li 

F — F - 1 

r.— 1  • 

r 

1  K  1  IZZ 

1  r. 

-F  r — 1 

NU/  ‘-r  1 

- \ - 

T  j  \ 

nsr  _i 

1 - — 

I  ni  • — ~ 

1 

I  f/fK  *'  ^ 

k  m  m  m 

- ^ 

M  •  A_ M ^  1  K.  1  

^  ■  -y-...  ^  ^  - - ^ 

0  m\ 

WORDS  (MANDAN) 

wa'tatudo'teete _ Jiere  are  shells 

Analysis. — The  indicated  tempo  of  this  song  is  that  of  the  measures 
containing  the  rhythmic  unit,  the  others  being  sung  somewhat  rubato. 
It  is  interesting  to  note  that  the  slight  hastening  or  retarding  of  the 
tempo  occurred  on  the  same  measures  in  the  records  made  in  1912  and 
1915,  the  indicated  tempo  being  identical.  At  already  stated,  there 
are  slight  differences  in  the  tone  values  of  the  first  four  measures, 
after  which  the  transcriptions  of  the  tw^o  records  are  uniform.  Seven 
renditions  were  recorded  in  1912  and  about  the  same  number  in 
1915,  the  song  being  short  and  the  singer  being  allowed  to  continue 
until  the  phonograph  cylinder  was  filled.  Almost  half  the  intervals 
are  fourths.  The  song  has  a  compass  of  11  tones  and  is  major  in 
tonality. 


108 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


[bull.  80 


No.  43.  Song-  of  the  Coyote  (b)  (Catalogue  No.  804) 
Recorded  by  Scatteked  Corn 

Voice  J  104 
Drum  J  =  io4 

Drum -rhythm  similar  to  No. 37 

m  - 


n  U.  rJ 


Analysis. — Eight  renditions  of  this  song  were  recorded,  differing 
only  in  that  the  first  phrase  was  omitted  in  two  renditions  and  that 
one  had  a  slightly  different  ending.  There  was  no  break  in  the  time 
between  the  renditions,  which  is  somewhat  unusual  in  this  series. 
Eepetitions  of  the  rhythmic  units  comprise  the  entire  song,  the  second 
occurrence  of  each  unit  beginning  with  a  slightly  different  count- 
division  than  the  first.  The  song  is  minor  in  tonality  and  progresses 
chiefly  by  minor  thirds,  which  constitute  more  than  half  the  entire 
number  of  intervals. 


No.  44.  Dancing  Song  of  the  Little  River  Women  Society 

(Catalogue  No.  805) 

Recorded  by  Scattered  Corn 


Voice  i44 

Drum  i44 

Drum-  rhythm  similar  to  No.  33 


Analysis. — This  is  a  bright,  lively  melody,  major  in  tonality  and 
containing  all  the  tones  of  the  octave  except  the  seventh.  Seven 
renditions  were  recorded  without  a  break  in  the  time.  The  descent 
of  an  octave  in  the  second  measure  is  interesting  and  the  movement 
of  the  entire  melody  is  broader  than  in  a  majority  of  the  present 
series  of  songs. 


DENS  More! 


MANDAN  AKD  HlDATSA  MUSIC 


107 


No.  45.  Song^  of  the  Little  Kiver  Women  Society  (a) 

(Catalogue  No.  872) 

Recorded  by  Sitting  Rabbit 

Voice  J  =  i68 

Drum  not  recorded 


iiitf  ITT  n^tTT'itiirf-ll 


Analysis. — This  and  the  next  song  were  recorded  by  a  man  who 
had  been  one  of  the  ‘‘  singers  ”  at  meetings  of  the  Little  River  Women 
Society.  This  song  begins  and  ends  on  the  same  tone,  the  first  inter¬ 
val  carrying  the  melody  up  to  the  highest  tone  in  its  compass.  The 
melodic  material  is  scanty,  comprising  only  the  minor  triad  and 
fourth.  The  principal  interval  of  progression  is  a  whole  tone. 


No.  46.  Song  of  the  Little  River  Women  Society  (h) 

(Catalogue  No.  873) 

Recorded  by  Sitting  Rabbit 

Voice  J  =  72 

Drum  not  recorded 


r  r  17^  f" — 

t'-rA-V  1 

l^r 

'll 

Analysis. — This  song  is  entirely  different  in  character  from  the 
preceding  and  contains  the  tones  of  the  major  triad  and  fourth. 
The  two  songs  have  about  the  same  number  of  intervals,  but  No.  46 
has  a  compass  of  11  tones  and  No.  45  of  only  5  tones.  The  present 
melody  progresses  chiefly  by  major  thirds. 


108 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


[bull.  80 


MANDAN  AND  HIDATSA  MEN’S  SOCIETIES 

It  is  not  the  intention  of  the  present  paper  to  offer  an  extended 
consideration  of  Mandan  and  Hidatsa  societies.  Maximilian  noted 
these  societies,^®  and  his  information  corresponds  in  its  most  impor¬ 
tant  phases  with  that  secured  in  1910  and  1911  by  Doctor  Lowie.^^ 
Wounded  Face,  one  of  Doctor  Lowie’s  informants,  was  consulted  by 
the  writer  in  1912,  1915,  and  1918,  resulting  in  some  duplication  of 
material.  Certain  societies  existed  in  both  tribes,  while  others  were 
limited  to  one  tribe,  the  most  important  of  the  latter  being  the  Stone 
Hammer  Society  of  the  Hidatsa.  Songs  of  this  society  are  here¬ 
with  presented,  but  it  has  not  seemed  expedient  to  attempt  a  tribal 
classification  of  the  songs  of  other  societies.  If  a  song  were  attribu¬ 
ted  to  one  tribe,  this  statement  is  contained  in  the  description  of  the 
song. 

According  to  the  writer’s  informants  the  sequence  of  Hidatsa  age- 
societies  was  as  follows  Notched  Stick,  Stone  Hammer,  Fox, 
Lumpwood,  Black  Mouth,  Crazy  Dog,  Intended  (or  wanted)  -to-be- 
a-dog,  Half-shaved-heads,  Buffalo,  and  Bad  Ear.  The  sequence  of 
the  Mandan  societies  was:  White,  Fox,  Dog  (including  Young  Dog 
and  Foolish  Dog),  Black  Mouth,  Buffalo,  and  Horse  (Wounded  Face 
said  this  society  did  not  originate  with  the  Mandan  but  was  bought 
hy  them  from  the  Sioux.  He  has  seen  dances  of  this  society).  The 
very  old  men  were  said  to  belong  to  the  Coarse  Hair  Society. 

The  manner  of  purchasing  admission  to  a  society  and  of  progress¬ 
ing  from  one  to  another  has  been  described  by  previous  writers  and 
need  not  be  repeated.  The  term  “  Stone  Hammer  ”  given  as  the  name 
of  the  second  Hidatsa  society  was  criticized  by  the  writer’s  inform¬ 
ants,  who  said  the  native  word  referred  to  the  mallet  used  for  pound¬ 
ing  meat  or  crushing  bones,  an  implement  with  a  stone  head,  the 
ends  of  which  were  alike.  They  said  the  Hidatsa  have  another  word 
for  “  hammer,”  an  implement  in  which  the  two  ends  of  the  head  are 
different  in  shape.  The  former  term  is  continued,  as  it  is  familiar 
by  usage.  The  native  term  is  stone,  maii' literally  mallet. 
The  word  “  Lumpwood  ”  was  also  regarded  by  those  who  spoke  both 
languages  as  an  inadequate  translation.  They  said  the  native  term 
{mi' daJii' si^  mi' da^  wood,  hi' si^  red)  was  almost  identical  with  the 
word  meaning  “  basket.”  The  literal  translation  is  “  red  wood,”  as 
indicated,  but  they  said  it  meant  “  round  wood,”  probably  referring 
to  the  shape  of  an  insignia  of  the  society  which  may  have  been  painted 
red.  They  said  that  “two  kinds  of  weapons  (insignia)  were  used 
in  the  society,  one  being  flat  and  the  other  round.  Both  were  made 


Maximilian,  op.  cit.,  pp.  291-295,  371. 

Lowie,  op.  cit.,  p,  221. 

®2  The  native  names  of  these  societies  are  on  pages  xix-xx. 


dbnsmorb] 


MANDAN  AND  HIDATSA  MUSIC 


109 


of  wood.  The  flat  ones  were  trimmed  with  raven  feathers  and  some¬ 
times  with  white  feathers.  The  round  ones  had  feathers  in  the  mid¬ 
dle.  The  round  ones  were  made  in  one  piece,  a  knot  or  lump  on  the 
wood  being  worked  into  a  round  end  and  the  rest  of  the  wood  form¬ 
ing  the  handle.”  The  translation  “  Lumpwood,”  being  commonly 
used,  is  continued  in  the  present  work. 

Good  Bear  said  that  the  Fox  Society,  which  precedes  the  Lump- 
wood  in  the  serial  order,  was  named  for  “  a  small  animal,  not  much 
larger  than  a  cat,  with  a  black  tip  at  the  end  of  its  tail.”  He  said 
“these  foxes  were  spry  and  quick,  these  being  qualities  greatly  de¬ 
sired  by  the  young  men.  They  watch  in  ambush  and  jump  on  their 
prey  when  it  is  at  the  right  distance.”  Societies  named  for  the  kit 
fox  are  common  to  many  tribes  of  Indians.  A  similar  society  existed 
among  the  Mandan,  but  the  principal  informants  on  this  subject 
were  Hidatsa,  the  following  singers  belonging  to  the  Fox  Society: 
Holding  Eagle  (pi.  18,  &),  Old  Dog,  Good  Bear,  and  Harry  Eaton. 
They  said  the  society  was  still  in  existence,  as  the  last  members  had 
never  sold  their  membership.  Interesting  information  on  this  sub¬ 
ject  was  also  given  by  Sitting  Crow  (pi.  18,  a).  Young  men  joined 
the  society  when  about  21  years  of  age.  The  headdress  worn  by  mem¬ 
bers  of  this  society  consisted  of  a  row  of  fox  jaws,  sometimes  painted 
red,  yellow,  or  green,  and  the  men  who  had  “  coup  feathers  ”  wore 
them  erect  at  the  back  of  the  head.  The  meetings  were  held  by 
special  appointment,  when  food  was  abundant.  They  did  not  steal 
the  food  for  their  feast,  as  the  Stone  Hammers  did.  The  society  was 
chiefly  social  in  character,  and  there  were  no  leaders  except  the  men 
who  carried  lances.  These  lances  were  wrapped  with  strips  of  otter 
fur,  placed  around  the  staff  of  the  lance.  Pan  said  that  in  war  a 
man  who  placed  one  of  these  lances  upright  in  the  ground  could  not 
retreat  from  the  spot,  but  if  a  friend  saw  that  the  man  would  surely 
be  killed  he  could  seize  the  lance  and  carry  it  to  a  place  of  safety, 
the  lance  owner  following  without  disgrace.  Sometimes  a  lance 
owner  gave  his  lance  to  a  girl  who  sang  in  the  scalp  songs  and  made 
another  for  himself.  If  one  of  the  lance  bearers  were  killed  in  war 
the  society  elected  another  in  his  place.  The  lance  was  used  in 
touching  an  enemy  to  “  count  coup  ”  and  also  in  stabbing  an  enemy. 
When  the  society  paraded  around  the  village  these  lance  bearers  were 
preceded  by  a  man  who  was  specially  distinguished  for  bravery. 
The  men  always  “  went  on  a  trot  ”  and  they  selected  from  among  the 
spectators  a  particularly  brave  man  to  go  at  the  end  of  the  proces¬ 
sion.  After  completing  the  circuit  of  the  village  they  went  to  the 
feast  in  their  lodge. 

An  Hidatsa  in  explaining  the  meaning  of  the  teem  “  crazy  dog  ” 
as  applied  to  the  society  in  his  tribe,  said  it  meant  that  the  men  were 
2118°— 23 - 9 


110 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


[bull.  80 


like  dogs  in  tlieir  determination  to  accomplish  their  purpose.  It 
was  as  though  they  were,  for  the  time,  possessed  of  the  spirit  of  dogs. 
The  purpose  of  the  “  Crazy  Dogs  ”  was  said  to  be  the  protection  of 
the  women  and  children  in  time  of  war  and  loyalty  of  its  members 
to  one  another  when  in  battle,  its  members  being  required  to  rescue 
a  comrade,  though  it  were  at  the  risk  of  their  own  lives. 

The  mark  of  membership  in  the  “  Half-shaved-heads  ”  was  the 
cutting  of  the  hair  short  on  both  sides  of  the  head,  leaving  a  stiff, 
erect  crest  of  hair  extending  from  the  forehead  to  the  nape  of  the 
neck. 

The  first  age-society  of  the  Mandan  was  called  So'Kta,  meaning 
White.  Wounded  Face  said  that  he  was  at  a  loss  to  explain  this 
name,  as  the  native  term  was  used  only  to  designate  a  color.  He 
belonged  to  the  society  when  a  boy  and  never  sold  his  membership, 
the  society  passing  out  of  existence  because  of  changes  in  the  life  of 
the  tribe.  The  boys  were  not  trained  in  stealth,  as  were  the  boys  of 
the  Stone  Hammer  Society  among  the  Hidatsa.  The  Fox  Society  is 
common  to  many  tribes  of  the  plains,  the  term  usually  referring  to 
the  kit  fox.  It  was  said  that  the  Young  Dog,  Foolish  (or  Crazy) 
Dog,  and  Dog  Societies  were  “  all  the  same  organization.”  The 
significance  and  purpose  of  the  society  was  undoubtedly  the  same  as 
among  the  Hidatsa.  The  origin  and  character  of  the  Black  Mouth 
Society,  as  well  as  a  legend  concerning  the  origin  of  the  Buffalo 
Society,  have  already  been  noted  (pp.  47,  84-85).  The  distinction 
between  dances  of  the  Buffalo  Society  and  the  ‘‘  Buffalo  medicine 
dance”  is  mentioned  on  page  36.  Wounded  Face  said  that  members 
of  the  Coarse  Hair  Society  wore  a  headdress  of  buffalo  hair,  which 
was  twisted  together,  making  long  strands  that  hung  down  before 
their  faces. 

Bear-on-the-flat  related  certain  experiences  which  are  of  interest 
in  connection  with  admission  to  the  boy’s  societies.  He  said  that 
when  he  and  a  few  other  boys  were  too  young  to  join  the  Fox  Society 
they  wanted  to  hang  around  ”  at  the  time  of  the  meetings,  but  the 
Fox  Society  would  not  let  them.  So  they  voluntarily  carried  wood 
and  water  for  the  Young  Dog  Society  whenever  they  had  a  meeting. 
This  was  appreciated  and  the  little  boys  were  allowed  to  sit  in  the 
dusky  edge  of  the  lodge  during  the  meetings  of  the  Young  Dog 
Society.  In  this  manner  the  boys  learned  many  songs,  and  as  soon 
as  they  were  old  enough  they  joined  the  Young  Dog  Society.  He 
said  that  a  boy,  when  joining  this  society,  was  said  to  “  purchase 
the  songs  ”  from  an  old  man  of  the  same  clan  whom  he  called  his 
‘‘  father.”  The  boy  was  required  to  spend  a  certain  number  of  even¬ 
ings  with  the  old  man,  rehearsing  the  songs  which  he  sang  at  the 
first  meeting  he  attended.  The  songs  transmitted  in  this  manner 


DENS  more] 


MANDAN  AND  HIDATSA  MUSIC 


111 


were  not  original  compositions,  like  the  “  dream  songs  ”  of  the  Chip¬ 
pewa  and  Sioux  medicine  men,  but  were  old  songs  that  had  been 
handed  down  for  many  generations  in  the  society.  The  full  num¬ 
ber  of  rehearsals  was  40  or  50,  but  some  could  be  deducted  in  return 
for  each  valuable  present  given  the  old  man.  It  was  required  that 
the  boy  give  him  food  every  night  that  they  were  singing  together. 
During  this  time  the  boy  addressed  the  old  man  as  “  father,”  and 
this  continued  until  the  songs  were  sung  at  the  society. 

Bear-on-the-flat  said  that  the  meetings  of  the  society  were  held 
in  the  afternoon  and  that  the  members  required  the  entire  morning 
for  preparation.  They  cut  the  hair  short  on  one  side  of  the  head, 
tied  a  black  cloth  around  the  head,  and  stuck  a  feather  upright  in  this 
band.  Long  strings  of  beads  were  hung  at  either  side  of  their  faces. 
The  gayest  raiment  was  worn  and  both  men  and  horses  were  painted, 
the  latter  being  decorated  according  to  the  owner’s  fancy.  The  men 
wore  a  whistle  suspended  around  the  neck,  blowing  on  it  occasionally, 
and  they  usually  carried  a  gun  or  a  bow  and  arrows.  The  procession 
of  the  society  that  preceded  their  meeting  was  led  by  two  men  with 
rattles  and  behind  them  walked  two  men  carrying  long  staves,  one  of 
which  was  wound  with  otter  fur  and  one  with  wolf  fur.  These  were 
followed  by  members  of  the  society,  either  on  horseback  or  walking 
two  by  two.  The  rattles  were  shaken  vigorously  and  the  men  “  trot¬ 
ted  ”  on  their  way  around  the  village  circle.  Sometimes  the  proces¬ 
sion  paused  in  front  of  a  lodge  and  the  men  danced  until  gifts  were 
brought  out  and  distributed.  These  were  various  articles  and  not 
gifts  of  food,  as  a  feast  awaited  the  members  of  the  society  in  their 
lodge.  At  this  meeting  the  “  fathers  ”  presented  their  respective 
“  sons  ”  with  elaborate  garments,  often  including  red  cloth  for  a 
suit  that  cost  10  buffalo  robes  at  the  trader’s  store.  If  the  young 
men  were  married,  their  wives  received  similar  gifts.  This  was  an 
occasion  of  much  rivalry,  the  spectators  being  curious  to  see  which 
boy  had  chosen  the  best  father.”  The  boy  also  contributed  gifts 
that  were  distributed  at  the  feast.  Many  dancing  songs  were  used 
in  the  lodge,  and  after  any  of  them  a  warrior  might  rise,  go  forward, 
and  strike  the  drum  as  a  signal  that  he  wished  to  relate  one  of  his 
deeds  of  valor.  This  was  said  to  “  give  the  singers  and  drummers  a 
chance  to  rest.”  The  rattle  and  whistle  used  in  this  society  are  noted 
on  pages  8  and  9.  See  also  plate  19,  h. 

Bear-on-the-flat  said  that  if  the  enemy  were  believed  to  be  ready 
to  attack  the  village,  so  that  a  battle  might  be  expected  on  the  mor¬ 
row,  it  was  customary  for  the  Crazy  Dogs  to  go  around  the  village 
late  in  the  afternoon  singing  their  war  songs,  while  at  a  distance  the 
old  men  sat  together  singing  their  personal  songs  to  encourage  the 
young  warriors.  ' 


112 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


[bull.  80 


The  Black  Mouth  Society  comprised  warriors  who  were  in  the 
prime  of  life,  having  passed  the  age  of  reckless  daring  but  lost  none 
of  their  vigor  (see  pp.  47-52).  Maximilian  calls  the  fourth  age  soci¬ 
ety  of  the  Mandan  the  “  Soldiers,”  but  his  description  of  the  face 
painting  and  other  customs  identify  it  as  the  Black  Mouth  Society. 
The  Buffalo  Society  was  composed  of  men  50  to  60  years  of  age. 
Little  Crow  said  that  the  society  held  its  principal  meeting  in  the 
spring,  “when  the  grass  was  just  starting.”  In  this  dance  the  men 
reenacted  their  exploits  on  the  warpath.  Spectatoirs  w.ere  not 
allowed  to  approach  the  dancers;  and  if  they  did  so,  the  warriors 
“  fired  a  blank  charge  at  them.”  It  was  said  that  members  of  the 
Buffalo  Society  went  to  war,  if  necessary,  but  they  do  not  seem  to 
have  been  part  of  the  active  and  constant  defense  of  the  tribe.  Hold¬ 
ing  Eagle  said  that  “two  men  represented  buffalo  and  wore  head¬ 
dresses  with  horns.  The  members  of  the  society  wore  buffalo-hide 
decorations,  but  did  not  wear  a  whole  headdress  of  it.”  Crowds 
Heart  was  one  of  those  who  were  privileged  to  wear  the  headdress 
representing  a  buffalo  (pi.  19,  a).  None  of  the  songs  of  this  society 
were  designated  as  war  songs. 

Drums,  Battles,  and  Whistles  Used  in  the  Societies 

The  drums  used  in  the  several  societies  were  hand  drums  and 
usually  were  of  medium  size  (pi.  9,  <3^,  5) .  There  were  said  to  be  three 
or  four  drums  in  each  society,  a  certain  responsibility  resting  with 
the  head  drummer,  as  he  was  expected  to  open  his  own  lodge  at  any 
time  for  meetings  of  the  society. 

The  rattles  were  of  two  types  (see  p.  8).  Each  society  had  its  own 
sort  of  rattle  which  was  used  in  the  dances. 

Whistles  or  “  war  pipes  ”  of  different  sizes  were  used  by  the  societies 
(see  p.  9).  The  specimens  and  descriptions  obtained  by  the  present 
writer  differed  in  no  essential  respects  from  those  recorded  by 
Maximilian. 

Songs  of  the  Societies 

These  songs  are  of  three  general  classes:  (1)  Dancing  songs,  (2) 
war  songs,  and  (3)  “  serenades,”  the  latter  being  sung  by  members  of 
the  society  when  going  around  the  village  or  sitting  on  top  of  the 
lodges.  To  these  may  be  added  the  love  songs,  which  differed  from 
the  serenades,  but  weVe  sung  in  a  somewhat  similar  manner.  Songs 
were  always  referred  to  a  certain  society,  the  title  being  given  as  a 
“  Fox  Society  war  song,”  or  a  “  Dog  Society  serenade.”  Some  of  the 
following  songs  were  undoubtedly  Mandan  and  others  Hidatsa  in 
origin ;  but  as  the  societies,  with  one  exception,  were  common  to  both 
tribes,  it  is  not  expedient  to  attempt  a  tribal  grouping  of  the  songs, 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


BULLETIN  80  PLATE  19 


a.  Headdress  worn  in  Buffalo  Society 


c.  Head  of  Stone  Hammer  Society  wand 


DENS  more] 


MANDAN  AND  HIDATSA  MUSIC 


113 


beyond  the  presentation  of  the  Hidatsa  Stone  Hammer  Society  in  a 
separate  section.  This  society,  as  already  stated,  was  not  found 
among  the  Mandan. 

In  many  instances  Hidatsa  words  were  sung  to  an  old  melody 
because  they  were  easier  to  sing  and  were  more  generally  understood. 
Thus  the  language  of  the  words  does  not  always  indicate  the  tribal 
origin  of  a  song. 

Stone  Hammer  Society  of  the  Hidatsa 

This  society  consisted  of  boys  between  the  ages  of  10  and  16  years, 
though  one  informant  stated  that  he  remembered  a  boy  of  7  who 
belonged  to  the  society,  and  that  boys  sometimes  remained  in  it  until 
they  were  18  years  old.  Membership  in  the  society  was  purchased 
by  a  boy  from  a  man  of  the  same  clan  called  his  “  clan  father.” 
This  man  gave  the  boy  his  entire  equipment,  comprising  clothing, 
ornaments,  and  insignia  of  the  society.  The  boys  gave  valuable  gifts 
in  return  for  these  and  also  contributed  to  a  pile  of  presents  that 
were  distributed  at  his  initiation. 

The  Hidatsa  word  for  societies  in  general  is  hu^ daw ani' dL  As 
among  other  tribes  this  is  not  included  in  the  name  of  an  organiza¬ 
tion,  which  is  known  simply  by  its  title.  Thus  the  Hidatsa  term 
for  the  Stone  Hammer  Society  is  Mi' i  'irmil' paki  stone, 

maii' pak%  mallet),  referring  to  an  implement  for  pounding  meat  or 
crushing  bones. 

The  chief  purpose  of  the  society  was  to  train  the  boys  in  stealth 
and  theft,  but  there  were  strict  regulations  concerning  the  manner 
in  which  this  was  done.  Full  notification  must  be  given  several 
hours  before  the  Stone  Hammers  began  a  raid.  If  a  member  of  the 
society  committed  a  theft  at  any  other  time  .than  that  appointed  and 
was  discovered  he  was  treated  as  a  common  thief.  His  membership 
in  the  society  was  no  protection,  and  the  society  repudiated  the  act. 
He  was  also  given  some  severe  form  of  punishment. 

The  Stone  Hammer  raids  took  place  at  night,  and  it  was  required 
that  before  sunset  the  boys  go  through  the  camp  announcing  that 
they  would  steal  that  night.  Everyone  was  fully  notified  and  pro¬ 
ceeded  to  hide  their  provisions  in  what  they  considered  the  safest 
places.  That  evening  the  boys  assembled  in  their  society  lodge. 
They  stripped  to  the  breechcloth  and  daubed  the  back  or  chest  with 
moist  clay.  When  this  was  partly  dry,  they  traced  with  a  finger 
nail  the  figure  of  a  mouse  or  rat,  leaving  the  brown  skin  within  the 
outline.  Other  designs  in  paint  could  be  put  on  the  body,  all  such 
decorations  being  in  accordance  with  instructions  given  each  boy 
by  his  clan  father.  The  boy’s  hair  was  all  brought  upward  and  to 


114 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


[bull.  80 


one  side  of  the  front  of  his  head  where  it  was  tied  in  a  bunch,  and  to 
this  were  fastened  feathers  or  bags  of  medicine,  as  directed  by  the 
clan  father,  all  these  preparations  being  as  nearly  as  possible  like 
those  of  warriors.  A  Stone  Hammer  raid  was  regarded  seriously 
and  as  tending  to  develop  the  qualities  which  would  later  be  needed 
on  the  warpath. 

The  boys  took  their  seats  in  the  lodge  according  to  the  place 
which  their  clan  occupied  in  the  tribal  circle,  some  at  the  right, 
others  at  the  left,  of  the  entrance.  The  door  of  the  lodge  was  tightly 
closed  and  only  members  were  allowed  to  enter.  Every  boy  in 
the  village  belonged  to  the  society  if  he  were  within  the  age  limits, 
but  it  was  recognized  that  some  were  more  efficient  than  others. 
The  first  act  of  the  society  was  to  select  the  boys  who  were  to  steal. 
A  boy  might  decline,  saying  that  he  did  not  wish  to  try  it.  The 
selection  seems  to  have  been  by  a  general  nomination,  some  one 
saying,  “  Let  so-and-so  go,  he  is  a  smart  boy.’^  The  boys,  when  se¬ 
lected,  sat  in  the  middle  of  the  circle.  Frequently  they  were  four  to 
eight  in  number.  A  boy  was  then  appointed  to  “  ask  the  ques¬ 
tions.”  He  began  with  the  boy  next  the  door  and  asked  him  what 
his  mother  had  in  the  house  that  was  good  to  eat,  and  where  she 
kept  it.  The  boys  in  the  middle  of  the  lodge  listened  carefully  to 
these  replies.  The  same  questions  were  asked  of  every  boy  in  the 
circle  and  each  was  expected  to  be  posted  and  to  reply  correctly. 
The  boys  in  the  middle  of  the  lodge  were  then  questioned  and  at 
last  the  boy  who  had  questioned  the  others  was  himself  questioned 
as  to  where  his  mother,  or  aunt,  or  grandmother  hid  her  best  food. 

This  being  finished,  the  stealing  boys  were  divided  into  two  groups 
according  to  the  side  of  the  circle  where  their  band  was  located,  as 
they  were  required  to  steal  from  the  tents  on  the  opposite  side  of 
the  circle,  with  which  they  naturally  were  less  familiar  than  with 
their  own.  They  went  out  in  pairs  and  with  each  group  there  were 
two  extra  boys  who  stayed  outside  the  tents  and  who  gave  the  alarm 
if  necessary  by  a  sharp  repeated  exhalation  of  the  breath,  given 
without  forming  any  syllable,  or  by  a  low  whistle.  A  favorite 
place  for  hiding  food  was  under  the  pillow  or  under  the  pallet  on 
which  an  old  woman  slept.  Mr.  Packineau  stated  that  it  was  not 
unusual  for  the  Stone  Hammer  boys  to  lift  the  blanket  on  which 
an  old  woman  was  sleeping,  lay  the  blanket  and  the  old  woman 
gently  to  one  side,  and  take  the  dried  meat  or  other  food  from  be¬ 
neath  her  bed  without  waking  her.  Thus  in  the  morning  people 
often  found  themselves  sleeping  in  another  part  of  the  tent  than  that 
in  which  they  had  retired,  and  the  food  was  gone.  Occasionally 
the  boys  were  badly  treated.  Sometimes  the  men  threw  them  on  the 
ground,  rubbed  or  punched  the  stomach  in  a  painful  manner,  and 


dbnsmore] 


MANDAN  AND  HIDATSA  MUSIC 


115 


sent  them  away,  or  perhaps  tied  them  up  and  demanded  a  ransom. 
Upon  such  men  the  Stone  Hammer  Society  took  its  revenge  in 
its  own  way.  If  the  boys  were  badly  treated,  but  obtained  the  food, 
they  did  not  give  the  usual  presents  to  the  people  from  whom  the 
food  was  stolen. 

After  a  successful  raid  the  food  was  taken  to  the  lodge  and  the 
boys  had  a  feast.  Blankets  and  other  goods  were  obtained  from  their 
parents,  and  either  that  night  or  the  night  next  following  the  boys 
made  up  packs  of  gifts  equivalent  in  value  to  what  they  had  stolen. 
These  they  gave  to  the  people  whom  they  had  robbed,  and  it  was 
considered  that  everything  was  properly  adjusted. 

STONE  HAMMER  SOCIETY  WAND 

Every  society  had  its  insignia  in  the  form  of  a  wand,  staff,  lance, 
or  other  object  which  was  carried  by  members  in  the  dance  or  in  war. 
These  were  called  widawa' he.  In  designating  the  insignia  of  a  par¬ 
ticular  society  the  name  of  the  society  preceded  this  term.  Thus  the 
Stone  Hammer  Society  wand  was  called  Mi'i  mau'  paki.^  stone  ham¬ 
mers,  i'ta^  their,  %oidaiea' he wand.  This  was  in  the  form  of  a  mallet 
comprising  a  stone  head  pointed  at  both  ends  and  pierced  through  the 
middle,  a  handle  about  25  inches  long  being  passed  through  the  hole 
in  the  stone  and  securely  fastened.  The  stone  head  was  decorated 
in  various  designs.  The  specimen  illustrated  (pi.  19,  c)  was  made 
for  the  writer  by  Pan  (pi.  14,  c)  and  is  of  the  type  commonly  carried 
in  the  society.  A  more  elaborate  wand  was  “  carried  by  those  who 
could  afford  it,”  and  differed  from  the  form  illustrated  in  that 
it  had  three  long  slender  points  beyond  the  stone  head,  and  to  these 
were  hung  feathers,  preferably  those  of  the  eagle.  The  wand  was 
carried  in  the  dances,  held  at  arm’s  length  and  waved  above  the 
dancer’s  head.  The  handle  must  be  of  cherry  or  June-berry  wood 
and  around  the  handle  was  usually  a  band  of  otter  fur.  The  hawk 
was  “  the  bird  of  the  society,”  and  the  specimen  illustrated  is  deco¬ 
rated  with  the  entire  tail  feathers  of  a  white-tailed  hawk.  Eagle 
feathers  could  be  used  if  desired.  The  stone  head  was  colored  ac¬ 
cording  to  the  taste  of  its  maker,  the  colors  being  red,  black,  white, 
green,  and  blue.  A  black  glazed  surface  on  the  stone  was  secured 
by  thoroughly  greasing  the  stone  and  then  wrapping  it  with  grass 
which  was  burned  off  slowly.  One  side  of  the  specimen  illustrated 
was  blackened  in  this  manner,  the  other  side  being  painted  with 
native  vermilion.  On  the  black  side  of  the  stone  is  graven  a  represen¬ 
tation  of  the  moon  (pi.  19,  c)  and  on  the  red  side  is  the  morning 
star.  Other  symbols  which  were  placed  on  the  stones  were  the 
north  star  {Ikaliaga'taj  meaning  “  star  that  does  not  move”),  the 


116 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


[bull.  80 


Pleiades  {ikddho'a)^  the  ‘‘hand  stars”  {skawaro' saki) ^  referring  to 
a  group  of  stars  resembling  an  outspread  hand  which  is  seen  in 
the  south  in  winter  and  which  “  moves  around  the  north  star.” 

The  wand  was  made  for  an  initiate  by  the  old  man  of  his  clan 
whom  he  selected  to  present  him  for  membership.  The  selection  of 
the  design  on  the  stone  head  of  his  wand  might  be  determined  in 
several  ways.  If  the  boy  had  had  a  dream  and  seen  a  dream  sym¬ 
bol,  he  told  it  to  his  “  clan  father,”  who  placed  it  on  the  stone. 
If  the  boy  had  not  had  a  vision,  the  responsibility  for  the  design 
rested  with  his  “  clan  father  ”  If  he  did  not  wish  to  choose  it  him¬ 
self  he  called  together  some  old  men  of  the  same  clan  and  consulted 
them  as  to  what  design  would  “give  the  boy  a  good  start  in  life” 
by  placing  him  under  protection  of  strong  and  favorable  elements. 
When  a  design  was  chosen  by  the  old  men  for  a  boy  who  had  not 
had  a  vision,  it  was  expected  that  the  boy  would  seek  a  vision  imme¬ 
diately  afterwards  and  would  try  to  obtain  a  dream  of  the  symbol 
that  had  been  placed  on  his  wand.  The  fasting  vigil  for  securing 
the  dream  could  be  of  any  duration,  but  one  night  was  sometimes 
sufficient,  and  the  result  was  considered  as  satisfactory  as  though  a 
longer  time  were  required. 

An  old  man  did  not  allow  anyone  in  the  lodge  when  he  was  making 
one  of  these  wands.  He  filled  a  pipe  and  presented  the  stem  to  the 
south,  west,  north,  and  east,  then  to  the  zenith  and  the  earth.  Some 
presented  it  to  the  zenith  before  presenting  it  to  the  cardinal  points, 
but  it  was  always  offered  last  to  the  earth.  As  the  old  man  per¬ 
formed  each  of  these  acts  he  made  a  supplication  similar  to  the 
following:  “  Ma'UopalTc'ti'a  (great  medicine),®^  smoke  this  pipe. 
I  want  success  for  this  young  man.  ”  After  which  he  mentioned  in 
his  petition  the  respects  in  which  success  was  especially  desired  for 
the  candidate. 

A  clan  father  was  rewarded  for  making  the  wand  by  liberal  gifts, 
often  including  a  horse.  Henceforth  he  took  great  interest  in  the 
lad  and  considered  that  the  young  man’s  successes  were  a  source  of 
rightful  pride  to  himself,  believing  he  had  contributed  to  the,  secur¬ 
ing  of  the  supernatural  help  without  which  the  young  man  could 
not  have  succeeded  in  life. 

STONE  HAMMER  SOCIETY  SONGS 

The  two  songs  next  following  are  serenades  of  the  Stone  Hammer 
Society. 


See  p.  36. 


DENS  more] 


MANDAN  AND  HIDATSA  MUSIC 


117 


No.  47,  “I  Desire  To  Take  You  With  Me”  (Catalogue  No.  884) 
Recorded  by  Pan 


Voice  J  =  104 
Drum  J  =  104 

Drum-  rhythm  similar  to  No.  37 


WORDS  (HIDATSA) 

ma'kari'stagade' _ little  ones 

ni _ you 

mak'mare'wits _ I  desire  to  take  with  me 

Analysis. — The  melodic  material  of  this  song  is  scanty,  comprising 
only  the  major  triad  and  second,  and  the  chief  interest  of  the  song  is 
in  its  rhythm.  This  is  given  with  most  clearness  in  the  third  rendi¬ 
tion,  from  which  the  transcription  is  made.  Comparison  of  the  three 
occurrences  of  the  rhythmic  unit  shows  the  addition  of  a  triplet  in 
the  second  occurrence,  and  a  syncopation  and  an  eighth  rest  in  the 
third  occurrence.  These  are  slight  changes,  but  were  given  with  dis¬ 
tinctness  and  add  to  the  interest  of  the  song. 


118 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


[bull.  80 


No.  48.  “Let  Us  Go”  (Catalogue  No.  885) 

Recorded  by  Pan 

Voice  J  z  lao 
Drum  J  z  lao 

Drum-rhythm  similar  to  No.  37 


— m 

“P — w — 

"75 - 

■P  --1 

L 

1 

X  u   1  

— , - 

Hi-da  mi  a  nu-si-a  a  a  du-sa 


-(• - 

■ — m - 

T 

f  M  •  ft  M  1 

r 

• 

m 

— 

_ 

rr. - r  3 

^  1  ^  1 

tsi-dok 


- W - m - 

- 1 - m — - r — y - n 

/  ,ii  J 

tJ  11  g  r  r_ r_ 11 

hi'da _ 

mi _ 

#  •  •  •• 

nu'sia _ 

dusa'tsidok 


WORDS  (HIDATSA) 


(Free  translation) 

>Wliy  should  you  come  again? 
Let  us  go  now 


Analysis. — In  analyzing  this  song  we  must  consider  that  it  was 
recorded  by  a  singer  whose  time  and  intonation  are  variable.  The 
several  renditions  of  the  song  differ  more  than  is  usually  the  case, 
yet  the  relative  lengths  of  the  tones  which  compose  the  rhythmic  unit 
are  clearly  maintained.  All  the  tones  of  the  octave  are  present  except 
the  sixth  and  seventh.  The  fourth  is  sharped  in  the  seventh  and 
eighth  measures,  and  the  first  tone  of  the  ninth  measure  was  sung 
slightly  below  pitch.  Thirty-nine  progressions  occur,  only  three  of 
which  are  larger  than  a  minor  third. 

This  song  evidently  refers  to  the  youth  of  the  organization  and 
their  exploits.  It  is  said  to  have  been  the  last  song  of  the  Stone 
Hammer  Society. 


DENS  more] 


MANDAN  AND  HIDATSA  MUSIC 


119 


No.  49.  “  Run  Away  ” 
Recorded  by  Pan 


(Cataloj^ue  No.  886) 


Voice  J  =  so 
Drum  J  =  so 

Drum-rhythm  similar  to  No.  37 


■# - (• 


Mi  -  i  ma  -  u  -  pa  -  ki  0  ni  -  ma  -  da-wo-hats 


_ 

• 

p.  ..... 

-p  .. 

ni- ma-da-wo-hats  ni- ma- da-wo-hats  ka-ra-a-da 


WORDS  (HTDATSA) 

Mi'i  maii'paki _ Stone  Hammers 

O _ O 

ni'madawo'bats _ you  are  youngsters 

kara'ada _ run  away 

ni _ you 

detse'iats _ will  be  exterminated 

ni'madawo'bats _ you  are  youngsters 

kara'ada _ run  away 

Analysis. — This  melody  is  particularly  expressive  of  the  idea  con¬ 
tained  in  the  words.  Sixty-five  per  cent  of  the  intervals  are  fourths, 
this  interval  being  prominent  in  songs  concerning  motion.  There 
is  a  taunting  effect  in  the  repetitions  of  the  descending  fourth  as 
well  as  in  the  rhythm  of  the  rhythmic  unit  (cf.  Nos.  93  and  107). 
Considering  B  flat  as  the  keynote,  we  observe  that  the  third  is  absent 
from  the  melody,  the  only  tones  being  B  flat,  C,  and  F. 


120 


bureau  of  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


[bull.  80 


No.  50.  “I  Want  to  Lire’’  (Catalogue  No.  887) 
Recorded  by  Pan 


Voice  J-es 
Drum  J  =  es 

See  drum- rhythm  below 


mi-i  -  di-ma-ruk  se  -  se  i  si-ets  hi  -  do  ma-re-ta 


Drum-rhythm  (approximate) 

>  > 


WORDS  (HIDATSA) 


I 'lie  liga  i'lige 

O _ 

mi'idima'ruk__ 

se'se _ 

isi'ets _ 

hi 'do _ 

mare'tawits 


.  Fox  band 
.0 

-I  want  to  live 
that 
is  bad 
.from  here 
I  will  not  depart 


AncilAjsis. — As  in  other  records  by  this  singer,  the  intonation  is 
variable,  but  the  rhythmic  unit  is  given  clearly  in  each  of  the  three 


In  one  instance  the  final  syllable  of  this  word  was  omitted  by  the  singer. 


DENS  more] 


MANDAN  AND  HIDATSA  MUSIC 


121 


renditions.  The  melody  contains  all  the  tones  of  the  octave  except 
the  sixth.  Almost  three- fourths  of  the  intervals  are  whole  tones  and 

semitones,  the  melody  progressing  by  unusually  small  degrees. 

\ 

Fox  Society  Songs 

The  words  of  this  song  express  the  dignity  and  valor  of  the  war¬ 
rior.  Another  war  song  of  the  Fox  Society  is  included  among  the 
war  songs  as  No.  96.  Good  Bear,  who  recorded  this  song  and  song 
No.  110,  was  a  highly  respected  member  of  the  Hidatsa  tribe  and  for 
many  years  was  judge  in  the  agency  court  of  Indian  offenses. 

No.  51.  “Need  I  Be  Afraid”  (Catalogue  No.  8991 
Recorded  by  Good  Bear 


Voice  J  r  se 
DRUM  J  r  66 

Drum -rhythm  similar  to  No.  3a 


A 

— 

rfhn  1 

=t=fl 

/  4^"  j 

ma  -  ‘ 

r  ■ 

la 

-'hki 

r  11^  £-u  1 

its  mi-.i-di- 

wi 

Ct 

WORDS  (HIDATSA) 

i'muruk'sa _ I  am  simply  on  the  earth 

maha'llkuts  mi'idi'wi _ need  I  be  afraid? 

Analysis. — The  only  intervals  occurring  in  this  song  are  minor 
thirds  and  major  seconds,  yet  the  melody  has  a  compass  of  10  tones. 
Two-thirds  of  the  progressions  are  downward.  In  structure  the  song 
is  melodic  and  the  tempo  is  unusually  slow,  a  characteristic  noted 
in  several  of  the  war  songs  (cf.,  among  others.  Nos.  78,  80,  86.  87.  91, 
92,  95.  97,  98).  The  melody  tones  are  those  of  the  fourth  five-toned 
scale. 


122 


bureau  of  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


[bull.  80 


No.  52.  Fox  Society  War  Son^  (a)  (Catalogue  No.  895) 
Recorded  by  Wolf  Head 


Voice  J  =  76 

Drum  not  recorded 


f 

— W- 

£• 

- ■- 

-^y-rr- 

B" - ; 

• 

- ■ 

— 

- 

-A  r  ^ 

L  - - 

- H - 

- 1 - 

W  • 

1 

J  •  1 

-  -  X..  <» — 

1  1 

n 

1 

Analysis. — This  song  contains  only  one  interval  larger  than  a  major 
third.  It  is  minor  in  tonality  and  contains  all  the  tones  of  the  octave 
except  the  second.  There  was  no  break  in  the  time  between  the  ren¬ 
ditions.  The  song  is  not  rhythmic  in  general  character  and  contains 
no  rhythmic  unit. 

Old  Dog  said  that  the  following  song  was  sung  by  members  of  the 
Fox  Society  when  one  of  their  number  had  been  killed  in  battle,  also 
stating  that  the  same  song  was  sung  if  a  man  were  wounded  while 
on  the  warpath  and  died  after  reaching  home.  He  said  they  all 
“  went  and  looked  at  him,”  then  stood  in  a  line  and  sang  the  song. 
They  mixed  tobacco  and  “  red  willow  ”  and  gave  it  to  the  dead  man, 
who  Avas  arrayed  in  his  finest  clothing  and  headdress.  The  body  was 
then  wrapped  and  placed  on  a  scaff<^ld.  The  Avarrior’s  lance,  on 
which  Avas  the  fetish  given  him  by  his  tribal  father,”  was  transferred 
to  another  man.  Old  Dog  said  that  he  had  seen  and  taken  part  in 
this  simple  ceremony  six  times,  the  last  time  being  in  1880,  when  a 
war  party  of  his  people  went  toward  the  north,  probably  against  the 
Crees  and  Chippewa. 


DENS  more] 


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123 


No.  53.  Fox  Society  Funeral  Song  (Catalogue  No.  890) 
Recorded  by  Old  Dog 


Voice  J  =  ee 

Drum  not  recorded 


WORDS  (HIDATSA,  NOT  TRANSCRIBED) 


mu'dakii'a _ my  comrade’s  (referring  to  the  dead  man) 

ido'pi _ tobacco 

ma'wits  _ to  smoke 

mawa'hets _ I  desire 


Analysis. — This  song  contains  three  rhythmic  periods,  the  first 
comprising  two  measures,  the  second  and  third  each  comprising 
three  measures,  and  the  song  ending  with  two  unimportant  measures. 
The  tempo  is  slow  and  the  song  dignified,  though  the  count  divisions 
of  the  rhythmic  unit  suggest  a  more  cheerful  theme.  The  melody 
tones  are  those  of  the  fourth  five-toried  scale,  but  11  of  the  16  pro¬ 
gressions  are  minor  thirds. 

Holding  Eagle  (pi.  18,  h)  said  that  he  was  a  member  of  the  Fox 
Society  when  he  was  a  young  man,  and  went  with  them  against  the 
Sioux.  He  said  that  the  war  party  stopped  on  the  bank  of  a  river  and 
sang  this  song  before  attacking  the  Sioux.  The  words  of  this  song 
were  identical  with  the  words  of  No.  96,  recorded  by  the  same  singer, 
and  said  to  be  also  a  Fox  Society  war  song.  They  were  sung  more 
distinctly  with  the  later  melody  and  are  transcribed  as  part  of  that 
son<r. 


This  word  is  also  used  with  the  meaning  “  to  drink.” 


124 


BUKEAU  OF  AMEKICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


[bull.  80 


No.  54.  Fox  Society  IVar  Song  (b)  (Catalogue  No.  850) 


Recorded  by  Holding  Eagle 

Voice  J  =  i76 

Drum  not  recorded 

r 


m 


m 


5 


VI  I  J  - 

r  I  I  «!■  *  * 


irj-  j^ij  ij  a 


XT 


gkiLf’  Pr  I  r'  'f£ 


iSh^ 


i^f  Fir  Ml 


i 


r  i.r ,  [j- 1  r  1^ 


Analysis. — There  was  no  break  in  the  time  between  the  renditions 
of  this  song,  and  the  indicated  measure  lengths  were  maintained 
throughout  the  renditions.  The  keynote  is  the  highest  tone  in  the 
song  and  also  occurs  midway  of  the  compass,  the  song  having  a 
range  of  11  tones.  The  song  is  rhythmic  in  character,  although  the 
rhythmic  unit  occurs  only  in  the  first  portion,  being  practically  a 
repetition  of  the  opening  phrase.  The  fourth  is  a  prominent  interval 
in  the  song. 


dbnsmore] 


MAJ^DAN"  AND  HIDATSA  MUSIC 


125 


No.  55.  Fox  Society  Serenade  (Catalogue  No.  871) 
Recorded  by  Sitting  Rabbit 

Voice  J  r  loo 
Drum  J  =  68 

Drum-rhythm  similar  to  No.  37 


I - T  I - 1  I - 1 


'frif 

^  i[i>  r  r  r  ppi 

^  -  - - 

- mU  1.1  -\ 

1 L  r 

1 

^  }»)  (■  p  im  m  t 

1 - 

1  p  f  -f- 

- L..J — L J - — 

~1  1 - 1 

p  t  #  •  •  1 

1 - 

— 1  ^ 

TTI - 

r  r  B 

^ - r— 1 - n 

gp; >lr  f  ^ 

Analysis. — The  words  of  this  song  (not  transcribed)  were  the 
same  as  those  of  No.  58.  Duplication  of  words  appears  much  more 
frequently  in  this  material  than  in  the  songs  recorded  among  other 
tribes.  Several  renditions  of  this  song  were  recorded  and  show  no 
differences.  The  intonation  was  good  throughout  the  series.  Except 
for  two  intervals  of  a  third,  all  the  progressions  are  major  seconds 
and  fourths,  the  latter  constituting  almost  one-third  of  the  entire 
number.  The  final  tone  is  approached  by  an  ascending  fourth,  which 
is  unusual  in  the  present  series.  In  tonality  the  song  is  major,  the 
melody  tones  being  those  of  the  major  triad  and  second. 

2118°— 23 - 10 


126 


bureau  of  AMERICAl^  ETHUOLOGY 


[bull.  80 


No.  56.  Fox  Society  Son^  (Catalogue  No.  867) 
Recorded  by  Sitting  Rabbit 


Voice  J  =  98 
Drum  not  recorded 


Analysis. — Major  and  minor  thirds  constitute  four-fifths  of  the 
intervals  in  this  song,  which  is  harmonic  in  structure.  Six  rendi¬ 
tions  were  recorded  and  show  some  points  of  difference.  The  first 
rendition  was  wavering  in  intonation.  The  transcription  is  from 
the  second,  which  was  identical  with  the  fourth  rendition. 

Sitting  Eabbit  stated  that  the  following  song  was  “sung  on  top 
of  a  lodge  or  sometimes  down  on  the  edge  of  the  timber.”  He  said 
that  one  man  might  sing  a  love  song  alone,  or  three  or  four  might 
sing  it  together.  No  words  were  recorded.  (See  pi.  19,  h.) 

No.  57.  Fox  Society  Love  Song  (Catalogue  No.  868) 
Recorded  by  Sitting  Rabbit 

^VOICE  J  r  50 
Drum  not  recorded 


(1) 


~r%»  , 

- n 

7 

11 

M  M  -II 

w  w  w  w 

(!)  (a) 


densmore] 


MANDAN  AND  HIDATSA  MUSIC 


127 


Analysis. — This  song  contains  two  rhythmic  units,  the  second  being 
a  partial  repetition  of  the  first.  It  is  interesting  to  note  the  pro¬ 
longed  tone  at  the  opening  of  the  fourth  measure,  a  variation  which 
gives  character  to  the  rhythm  of  the  entire  song.  Only  two  of  the 
intervals  are  larger  than  a  major  third.  Almost  one-third  of  the 
progressions  are  semitones,  which  is  unusual  in  the  Indian  songs 
analyzed  according  to  the  present  method. 

No.  58.  “Wake  Up”  (Catalogue  No.  835) 


Recorded  by  Benson 


Voice  J  =  88 
Drum  J  =  88 


Drum-rhythm  similar  to  No.  50 


WORDS  (MANDAN) 


waki'tani - wake  up 

wahu'na _ come  on 

Analysis. — The  words  of  this  song  were  used  also  in  a  Fox  Society 
serenade  (No.  55),  but  were  not  transcribed  in  that  instance.  It 
will  be  noted  that  the  two  melodies  have  no  resemblance  to  each 
other.  A  dotted  eighth  and  a  triplet  of  eighth  notes  characterize 
the  ryhthm  of  this  song,  occurring  in  various  combinations.  The 
song  is  short  and  has  a  compass  of  10  tones,  yet  the  progressions, 
with  three  exceptions,  are  major  and  minor  thirds.  In  structure  the 
song  is  harmonic;  the  tone  material  comprises  the  major  triad  and 
second. 


128 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


[bull.  80 


No.  59.  “Why  Did  You  Sleep?”  (Catalogue  No.  836) 
Recorded  by  Benson 


VOICE  J  =:  80 
Drum  J  r  89 

Drum-rhythm  similar  to  No.  50 


(WORDS  HIDATSA,  NOT  TRANSCRIBED) 

(Free  translation) 


malia'kuwanesi' - no  one  expects  to  live  long 

ni'liawidok - are  you  asleep? 

maro'hawak - 1  am  tired  out 


Analysis. — This  song  has  a  compass  of  14  tones  and  was  sung  with 
great  vibrato.  In  structure  it  is  harmonic,  and  in  tone  material  it 
lacks  the  second  and  fourth  tones  of  the  octave.  It  is  major  in 
tonality  but  more  than  one-third  of  the  intervals  are  minor  thirds. 
The  ascending  minor  sixth  with  which  the  song  begins  is  unusual 
and  is  repeated  in  the  lower  octave.  Like  No.  58,  the  drum-rhythm  is 
in  a  triple  division,  wdth  an  unaccented  beat  on  (approximately)  the 
third  part  of  the  triplet. 


DENS  more] 


AND  HIDATSA  MUSIC 


129 


Young  Dog  Society  Song 


No.  60.  Young  Dog  Society  Serenade 

(Catalogue  No.  870) 

Recorded  by  Sitting  Rabbit 


Voice  J  =  ee 
Drum  J  =  ee 

Drum-rhythni-similar  to  No.  60 


Analysis, — More  than  two-thirds  of  the  intervals  in  this  song  are 
descending  progressions,  the  song  containing  only  10  measures  and 
having  a  compass  of  13  tones.  The  minor  triad  is  prominent  in  the 
descending,  and  thfe  fourth  in  the  ascending  intervals.  The  song  is 
major  in  tonality  and  contains  all  the  tones  of  the  octave  except  the 
seventh. 

Foolish  (or  Crazy)  Dog  Society  Songs 

The  four  songs  next  following  were  said  to  belong  to  the  Foolish 
Dog  Society.  All  these  are  of  the  class  known  as  “  serenades.”  It  is 
interesting  to  note  that  no  war  songs  are  in  this  group. 


130 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


[BUI-Ia  80 


No.  61.  “You  Did  It”  (Catalogue  No.  843) 

Recorded  by  Bear-on -the-flat 


Voice  J  =:  73 

Drum  not  recorded 


Ni-wa  gu-a  -  sa-da  sa  -  wa  ni  -  wi  -  a  -  na 


hets 


WORDS  (HIDATSA) 


ni'wa _ you 

gu'asada _ did  it 

he'sawa  _ therefore 

ni'wiit  wallets' _ you  wept 


Analysis. — This  song  contains  only  the  tones  of  the  major  triad, 
except  that  the  seventh  appears  near  the  close.  The  interval  of  a 
fourth  characterizes  the  song  both  in  ascending  and  in  descending 
progression.  In  structure  the  song  is  harmonic,  with  a  compass  of  11 
tones. 

No.  62.  Foolish  Dog  Society  Serenade 

(Catalogue  No.  844) 

Recorded  by  Bear-on-the-flat 


Voice  J  r  73 
Drum  not  recorded 


The  first  syllable  of  this  word  was  omitted  by  the  singer. 


DENS  more] 


MANDAN  AND  HIDATSA  MUSIC 


181 


Analysis. — More  than  half  the  progressions  in  this  song  are  whole 
tones.  A  major  third  occurs  only  once,  though  the  song  is  based 
upon  the  fourth  five-toned  scale,  which  is  major  in  tonality.  In 
rhythmic  structure  the  song  contains  two  periods  of  about  equal 
length,  each  beginning  with  the  same  rhythm  and  each  having  a 
descending  trend.  The  keynote  is  midway  the  compass  of  the  song, 
v/hich  begins  on  the  dominant  above  and  ends  on  the  dominant  below 
the  keynote. 

The  following  song  was  recorded  in  1912  by  Little  Crow  and  his 
wife.  Otter  Woman.  In  each  rendition  he  began  the  song  and  she 
joined  after  two  or  three  measures,  her  voice  being  an  octave  above 
his.  Two  similar  renditions  by  a  Sioux  and  his  wife  are  transcribed 
in  full  (Bull.  61,  Bur.  Amer.  Ethn.,  pp.  478,480).  Little  Crow  died 
in  1913,  and  when  the  writer  returned  in  1915  his  wife  recorded  the 
songs  of  sadness,  Nos.  14  and  15  of  this  series.  The  words  of  this 
song  express  the  feelings  of  those  who  were  obliged  to  listen  to  the 
evening  serenades  of  the  young  men. 

No.  63.  “I  Cannot  Sleep”  (Catalogue  No.  905) 
Recorded  by  Little  Crow  and  Wife 

Voice  J  -  ^4 

Drum  not  recorded 


 a_ A_ L  ® A* A 

-  f  > - . 

^  Ur  T  T  _ _  d  —  ■  _  1  ^  ^  1 

J-]  j  wt 


i^rij  11'^^ 


WORDS  (HIDATSA,  NOT  TRANSCRIBED) 


no _ O 

hi'dawika _ to  sleep 

maki'ruk _ to  lie 

madiets'irus _ I  think  if 

miha'witaits _ but  I  can  not  sleep 


(Free  translation:  “I  think  if  I  only  could  lie  down  and  sleep,  but  I 
cannot  sleep.”) 

Analysis. — This  song  is  on  the  second  five-toned  scale,  which  ap¬ 
pears  only  five  times  in  the  present  series  (see  p.  19).  In  rhythmic 
structure  the  song  comprises  three  periods,  the  first  and  second  con¬ 
taining  two  measures  each  and  the  third  containing  three  measures. 
The  change  to  triple  time  in  the  fourth  measure  adds  to  the  interest 
of  the  melody.  The  principal  interval  of  progression  is  a  whole  tone. 


132 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


[bull.  80 


No.  64.  “It  is  My  Own  Fault (Catalogue  No.  909) 


Recorded  by  James  Driver 

Voice  J  =  104 

Drum  not  recorded 
(t)  (2) 


Mi  ma« 


tse  wa-  tu  i 


KJ 


si  -  a  -  ka  -  dits  {vocables) 


mi-wa  gu-a-  sa-  da 


WORDS  (HIDATSA) 


mi _ I 

matse' - a  man  (have), 

watu'wa  - as  it  is, 

isi'aka'dits - who  is  bad  (or  unkind) 

mi'wa - 1  myself 

gu'asada - did  it 


^  The  last  syllable  of  this  word  was  omitted  by  the  singer. 


DEN  smoke] 


MANDAN  AND  HIDATSA  MUSIC 


133 


Analysis. — Two  rhythmic  units  occur  in  this  song,  which  is  un¬ 
usually  interesting  in  rhythmic  form.  The  first  period  of  the  melody 
comprises  six  counts  divided  into  three  measures ;  the  second  period 
comprises  five  counts  divided  into  two  measures;  the  third  period 
comprises  three  measures,  the  second  of  which  is  in  triple  time ;  and 
the  fourth  period  contains  four  measures,  ending  the  first  portion 
of  the  song.  The  opening  measure  of  the  second  portion  contains  an 
exact  reversal  of  the  count  divisions  of  the  second  rhythmic  unit, 
which  is  followed  by  the  second  unit  in  its  original  form.  This  por¬ 
tion  of  the  song  comprises  three  periods  containing,  respectively, 
two,  three,  and  three  measures.  Forty-five  progressions  occur  in  the 
song,  a  majority  of  which  contain  three  or  four  semitones,  being* 
major  seconds  or  minor  thirds.  The  song  is  minor  in  tonality,  has  a 
compass  of  11  tones,  and  contains  all  the  tones  of  the  octave  except 
the  sixth. 

Dog  Societt  Songs 

This  group  comprises  four  songs,  Nos.  65  and  68  being  war  songs 
and  Nos.  66  and  67  being  serenades.  No.  100  is  also  a  war  song  of 
this  society.  No  songs  of  the  Young  Dog  or  Foolish  Dog  Society 
were  said  to  be  used  in  war,  and  a  comparison  of  the  songs  of  these 
three  societies  indicates  the  differences  in  the  age  and  character  of 
their  members. 

Holding  Eagle,  who  recorded  Nos.  65,  66,  and  67,  said  that  he 
learned  these  songs  from  his  father,  who  bought  them  from  an 
older  man.  As  Holding  Eagle  was  a  reliable  informant  and  died 
at  the  age  of  about  65  years,  the  songs  evidently  are  very  old.  The 
words  of  No.  66  refer  to  the  following  incident:  A  young  woman 
was  thrown  from  her  horse  in  battle  and  called  for  assistance.  A 
man  went  to  her  rescue,  defended  her  at  the  risk  of  his  life,  and 
found  that  she  was  his  daughter-in-law. 


134 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


[bull.  80 


No.  65.  “If  I  go”  (Catalogue  No.  852) 

Recorded  by  Holding  Eagle 


Voice  J  =  76 
Drum  J  =  76 

Drum-rhythm  similar  to  No.  33 


_ M. _ _ ! _ _ Li _ _ 

- - n 

■  1  1  m  m  m  ^  ^  ^ 

1  ^ 

r 

^ 

tl 

1  1  1 

T.  ,  -T  .T. ~ 

Ma-re-A^-ruk  ko  wi  its 


WORDS  (HIDATSA) 


mare'ruk _ _  if  I  go 

kowi'its _ -.that  is  the  end  (or  “  I  am  no  more”) 


Analysis. — This  song  has  the  same  words  as  No.  71,  a  song  of  the 
Buffalo  Society.  A  similar  duplication  of  words  is  noted  in  the  anal¬ 
ysis  of  No.  58.  The  interval  of  a  fourth  comprises  almost  half  the 
progressions  in  the  present  song,  occurring  an  equal  number  of  times 
in  ascending  and  descending  progression.  The  song  is  harmonic  in 
structure  and  the  melody  tones  are  those  of  the  minor  triad  and  sev¬ 
enth.  Three  renditions  were  recorded,  showing  slight  and  unim¬ 
portant  differences.  The  transcription  is  from  the  second  rendi¬ 
tion. 


DBNSMORE] 


MANDAN  AND  HIDATSA  MUSIC 


135 


No.  66.  Dog  Society  Serenade  (a)  (Catalogue  No.  853) 
Recorded  by  Holding  Eagle 


Voice  J  r  66 
Drum  J  =  66 

Drum- rhythm  similar  to  No.  3a 


Analysis. — The  tone  material  of  this  song  is  peculiar,  the  second 
and  sixth  tones  of  the  octave  being  lacking  and  the  fourth  and  sev¬ 
enth  repeatedly  sharped.  The  differences  of  pitch  were  clearly 
given  in  all  the  renditions,  though  in  instances  of  this  kind  it  should 
not  be  understood  that  the  sharped  tones  were  sung  exactly  on 
piano  pitch.”  A  lesser  difference  in  pitch  is  indicated  by  the  sign  + 
placed  above  a  note.  Only  seven  complete  measures  occur  in  this 
song,  but  the  entire  range  of  10  tones  is  included  in  six  measures. 
The  song  contains  24  intervals,  only  two  of  which  are  larger  than 
a  major  third.  Qne-fourth  of  the  intervals  are  semitones,  which  is 
an  unusually  large  percentage  of  these  intervals,  not  only  in  the 
present  series,  but  in  the  music  of  other  tribes  analyzed  according  to 
this  method. 


136 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


[bDIX.  80 


No.  67.  Do^  Society  Serenade  (b)  (Catalogue  No.  857) 


Recorded  by  Holding  Eagle 


Voice  J  r  88 


Ma  -  do -ha -wits  se  -  ra 


WORDS 

ma'doha'wits _ I  have  about  given  up, 

sera'  mara'ta _ my  dear  heart 

Analysis. — In  this  song,  as  in  No.  66,  the  fourth  and  seventh  are 
repeatedly  sharped.  Both  songs  are  minor  in  tonality.  The  ascent 
of  a  semitone  to  the  final  tone  is  somewhat  unusual.  The  rhythmic 
structure  of  this  song  comprises  four  periods,  the  second  and  fourth 
of  which  are  longer  than  the  others.  The  rhythmic  units  overlap  in 
the  fourth  measure,  but  these  irregularities  give  character  and  interest 
to  the  rhythm  of  the  song  as  a  whole.  Twenty-five  per  cent  of  the 
intervals  are  fourths,  an  unusually  large  proportion  in  a  song  of 
this  character.  Six  renditions  were  recorded,  some  of  which  were 
consecutive  and  others  separated  by  shrill  yells  or  spoken  words. 
Such  interpolations  often  occur  between  the  renditions  of  songs 
which  may  be  characterized  as  a  “  free  expression.”  Observation  of 
these  transcriptions  will  show  that  in  many  instances  the  repetitions 
Avere  Avithout  a  break  in  the  time.  In  other  instances  the  repetitions 
were  separated  by  a  short  pause.  A  prolonging  of  the  final  tone  was 
less  frequent  among  these  tribes  than  among  others  studied  by  the 
writer.  The  definiteness  of  the  final  tone  is  indicated  by  the  large 
number  of  songs  in  which  the  final  tone  occurs  on  the  unaccented 
portion  of  the  measure.  (See  analysis  of  No.  12.) 


Sera'  is  a  term  of  endearment  which  has  no  exact  English  equivalent. 


DENS  more] 


MANDAN  AND  HIDATSA  MUSIC 


137 


Wounded  Face,  the  old  warrior  who  recorded  the  following  song, 
stated  that  it  was  properly  sung  with  the  accompaniment  of  a  rattle, 
not  a  drum.  Accordingly  he  recorded  it  in  that  manner,  using  his 
own  Dog  Society  rattle  (pi.  10,  &),  which  he  afterwards  transferred 
to  the  writer.  It  is  recalled  that  war  parties  of  other  tribes  often 
used  a  rattle,  one  man  shaking  it  as  they  went  on  foot  toward  the 
enemy. 

No.  68.  “The  Enemy  are  Like  Women” 


(Catalogue  No.  863) 


ms 


Recorded  by  Wounded  Face 

Voice  J  =  iis 
Battle  J  z  112 

Bhythm  of  rattle  similar  to  Drum -rhythm  of  No.  37 

^f'  til  ifff  ££f 


(3) 


(2) 


Wi-da-tai)  -  de  ^a-o-ka-da> 

(3) 


mr  r  IT  r  if  L/itr'r/ 


I 


ho  -  sa 


mi  -  hes  -  kas 


WORDS  (MANDAN) 


w^datagMe - the  enemy 

wa'okadoho'sa - I  do  not  fear 

mi'heskas - (they  are)  like  women 


Analysis. — This  song  progresses  chiefly  by  whole  tones,  more  than 
half  the  intervals  being  major  seconds.  Three  short  phrases  occur, 
which  are  designated  as  rhythmic  units.  The  first  and  second  of  these 


138 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


[dull.  80 


have  the  same  division  of  the  second  count,  and  the  second  and  third 
have  the  same  division  of  the  first  count.  This  count-division  (a 
sixteenth  note  followed  by  a  dotted  eighth)  appears  also  in  other 
parts  of  the  song.  This  shows  a  thematic  development  in  the  song 
and  also  indicates  that  it  was  clearly  remembered  by  the  singer. 
The  intonation  was  good  throughout  the  several  renditions. 

Buffalo  Society  Songs 

Little  Crow  stated  that  the  members  of  the  Buffalo  Society  were 
the  older  warriors  of  the  tribe  and  included  men  between  50  and  60 
years  of  age.  Their  principal  meeting  was  held  in  the  spring  of  the 
year,  “  when  the  grass  was  starting.”  Holding  Eagle  said  that  at 
these  meetings  “two  men  represented  buffalo  and  wore  headdresses 
with  horns.  The  30  or  40  members  of  the  society  wore  buffalo-hide 
decorations,  but  did  not  wear  a  whole  headdress  of  it.”  (See  pi. 
19,  a.)  None  of  the  songs  of  this  society  were  designated  as  war 
songs.  This  appears  to  be  different  from  the  society  whose  origin  is 
described  on  pages  84  and  85,  that  organization  having  for  its  object 
the  obtaining  of  buffalo  for  food. 

No.  69.  Buffalo  Society  Song*  (a)  (Catalogue  No.  854) 
Recorded  by  Holding  Eagle 


Voice  J  =  loo 
Drum  J  r  loo 

Drum-rhythm  similar  to  No»  37 


Analysis. — A  wide  variety  of  intervals  distinguishes  this  melody 
from  a  majority  of  those  under  analysis.  Eight  ascending  inter- 


DENS  more] 


MANDAN  AND  HIDATSA  MUSIC 


139 


vals  occur  in  the  song,  and  these  are  of  six  kinds,  ranging  from  a  semi¬ 
tone  to  a  fifth.  The  descending  intervals  are  of  the  same  degrees, 
except  that  there  is  no  descending  minor  third.  The  ascending  fifth 
as  the  opening  interval  gives  a  spirited  character  to  the  beginning 
of  the  song,  especially  as  the  melody  returns  to  the  initial  tone  after 
the  sharped  fourth.  The  highest  tone  of  these  opening  measures  does 
not  appear  again  in  the  melody.  The  second  and  third  measures  are 
designated  as  a  rhythmic  unit,  though  the  division  of  one  count  is 
changed  in  the  repetition.  Except  for  the  fourth  and  fifth  measures 
the  melody  is  based  on  the  major  triad  B  flat-D-F. 

No.  70.  Buffalo  Society  Song  (b)  (Catalogue  No.  855) 


Recorded  by  Holding  Eagle 


Voice  j  =  iie 
Drum  J  =  lie 


Drum- rhythm  similar  to  No.  37 

'  t-f  J  f-^-f 


(2)  (2) 

1  I - r- - 1  I - - 1 

— °  If  o  # — 0'  ^  im  |P - 0*  0  nn  0 - 0*  0  i  0 


rrc-  1,  0 - 0^ 

rwT 

rtr- 

0 - 

n® — n 

—  IIM  ilBU 

]  rzr'  - — 

•  I 

^  /  M  Tk  I  J  •  fjK 

:  Wk  I — id — 

9  1 

^  .  ■■■— 

I**-  — 

^  1 

Analysis. — This  song  contains  12  measures  and  two  rhythmic  units, 
but  only  10  progressions.  The  last  tone  in  the  second  measure  was 
sung  sharply  staccato.  This  song,  like  Nos.  69  and  71,  is  major  in 
tonality  and  omits  the  sixth  and  seventh  tones  above  the  keynote. 
It  is  interesting  to  observe  the  contrasts  between  these  three  songs 
(Nos.  69,  70,  and  71).  This  melody  has  a  compass  of  only  five  tones 
and  begins  and  ends  on  the  same  tone. 


140 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICA^T  ETHNOLOGY 


[bull,  80 


No.  71.  Buffalo  Society  Song*  (c)  (Catalogue  No.  856) 


Recorded  by  Holding  Eagle 


Voice  J  =  loo 
Drum  J  =  eo 


Drum-rhytliin  similar  to  No. 81 

(0 


(2) 


(0 


m 


LJ- itj’ 


(3) 


irrriTt;^ 


Ma  -  re  -  ruk  ko-wi  -  its 

T 


I 


Analysis. — ^The  words  of  this  song  are  the  same  as  song  No.  65, 
Fifteen  of  the  36  intervals  in  this  song  are  fourths,  an  interval 
prominent  in  songs  concerning  the  buffalo  as  recorded  among  the 
Chippewa  and  Sioux  (cf.  No.  95) .  Divisions  of  a  triple  measure  com¬ 
prising  quarter  and  eighth  notes  occur  in  three  different  forms,  desig¬ 
nated  as  three  rhythmic  units.  These  show  an  interesting  use  of  the¬ 
matic  material.  Five  renditions  were  recorded,  the  tempo,  in  both 
voice  and  drum,  being  especially  steady,  except  in  the  triplets,  which, 
as  frequently  is  the  case,  were  slightly  retarded  in  time. 


As  already  indicated,  none  of  the  Buffalo  Society  songs  were 
designated  as  war  songs.  It  was  said  that  certain  songs,  slower 
in  tempo  than  the  others,  were  sung  while  the  men  were  seated, 
and  others  while  they  were  dancing. 


DENS  more] 


MANDAN  AND  HIDATSA  MUSIC 


141 


No.  72.  Buffalo  Society  Dancing  Song 


(Catalogue  No.  849) 


Recorded  by  Be]ak-on-the-flat 


Voice  J  -  84 

Drum  not  recorded 
f 


m.fr  ,£f 


m 


m 


I 


Analysis. — This  song  comprises  four  periods,  the  first,  second,  and 
fourth  being  repetitions  of  the  rhythmic  unit,  though  slightly 
changed  in  the  sixth  measure.  More  than  half 
the  progressions  are  fourths  (cf.  No.  95).  In 
this,  as  in  the  two  songs  next  preceding,  the 
sixth  and  seventh  tones  of  the  octave  are 
omitted,  but  this  song  is  minor  and  the  other 
songs  are  major  in  tonality. 

The  progressions  in  this  song,  without  reference  to  the  time  values 
of  the  tones,  are  shown  in  figure  5,  the  horizontal  lines  indicating 
scale  degrees.  A  similar  diagram  is  shown  with  analysis  of  song 
No.  92. 

2118°— 23 - 11 


Fig.  5. — Plot  of  song 

No.  72. 


142 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


[bull,  so 


No.  73.  Buffalo  Society  Serenade  (a) 

(Catalogue No.  845) 

Recorded  by  BEAK-oN-THErFLAT 

Voice  J  =  84 

Drum  not  recorded 


’4Y  it — ^ — n~r 

f-  f- 

f  f ff- 

*  Ir  W  L  1  ^ 

- 

1  ^ 

■  ^ 

.y-Ht-C;  r. 


Ma-tsema-re  -  wits  ma  -  di-ats 


du  -  ma  -  i  wi  -  ats 


rtm 


I 


WORDS  (HIDATSA) 

matse' _ man 

mare'wits _ I  will  go 

madi'ats _ 1  think 

dumai'wiats _ someone  is  crying 

Analysis. — The  first  two  periods  of  this  song  comprise  three 
measures  each  and  are  in  double  time,  the  third  period  comprises 
two  measures  in  triple  time,  and  the  fourth  period  comprises  one 
triple  and  three  double  measures.  The  minor  third  and  major  sec¬ 
ond  are  the  principal  intervals  of  progression,  constituting  about 
two-thirds  of  the  entire  number  of  intervals.  In  structure  the 
song  is  classified  as  melodic  with  harmonic  framework.  It  is  based 
on  the  fourth  five-toned  scale  and  has  a  compass  of  10  tones. 


No.  74.  Buffalo  Society  Serenade  (b) 


J. 


Recorded  by  Litteb  Crow 


(Catalogue  No.  904) 


Voice  4  z  154 
Drum  not  recorded 


gnt/^r  r  I  r  Uj  f  qtj(.f.fx.||jr_r:j 


iy<itb  T  If  f-trf-r-r  I  r==f -■J-.lfci 


r  U  r  (■ 


i 


DENS  more] 


MANDAI^  AND  HIDATSA  MUSIC 


143 


WORDS  (HIDATSA.  NOT  TRANSCRIBED) 

no _ O 

matse'  hiriik' _ to  be  a  man 

Analysis. — The  significance  of  the  words  of  this  song  was  not  ex¬ 
plained.  It  is  noted,  however,  that  the  term  “  man  ”  is  frequently 
synonymous  with  “  warrior.”  The  melody  contains  only  half  and 
quarter  notes,  but  the  rapid  tempo  and  variety  in  measure  lengths 
give  the  song  a  rhythmic  character.  This  is  a  Mandan  song  and 
was  said  to  “go  back  to  the  time  when  the  Mandan  were  separate 
from  the  Hidatsa.” 


Horse  Society  Songs 

No.  75.  Horse  Society  Son^  (a)  (Catalogue  No.  833) 
Kecorcled  by  Ben  Benson 


Voice  J  =  io4 
DRU»f  J  r  104 

Drum- rhythm  similar  to  No.  37 


J  i 


1  r 


i  jn  ^ 


wa  -  nu  -  ma  -  ki  a 


Hos  mi  -  hes  -  kas 


-<7^^  - 

n 

:  '  i5i[. 

words  (MANDAN) 


mini'tadiki 

wanu'maki 

ni'llos _ 

rai'heskas- 


(Free  translation) 

The  Hidatsa  are  not  men  but 
are  like  women 


Analysis. — The  rhythmic  form  of  this  song  is  not  so  regular 
nor  so  interesting  as  that  of  the  Buffalo  Society  songs  Nos.  69-74. 


144 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


[bull.  80 


The  rhythmic  unit  occurs  only  in  the  first  portion,  while  in  the  second 
portion,  containing  the  words,  there  is  a  frequent  triplet  division 
of  the  count.  More  than  one-third  of  the  intervals  are  minor  thirds, 
though’ the  song  is  major  in  tonality.  The  song  is  melodic  in  struc¬ 
ture  and  contains  all  the  tones  of  the  octave  except  the  seventh. 


No.  76.  Horse  Society  Song*  (b)  (Catalogue  No.  834) 
Recorded  by  Ben  Benson 


Voice  J  =  so 
Drum  J  r  so 

Drum-rhythm  similar  to  No.  50 


7j 

r  SI' 

• 

r-l 

cJ 

*  0 

V.? 

Lj 

—  \ 

Analysis. — This  melody  begins  with  an  ascending  fourth  and  it 
will  be  noted  that  the  framework  of  the  melody  consists  of  the  tones 
of  the  minor  triad.  The  rhythmic  unit  is  interesting  and  comprises 
two  measures.  Eight  renditions  were  recorded  without  a  break  in  the 
time.  The  indicated  drum  rhythm  was  occasionally  changed  to  even 
quarter-note  beats,  drum  and  voice  being  synchronous.  Fifteen 
progressions  occur  in  the  song,  nine  of  which  are  major  seconds, 
four  are  minor  thirds,  and  two  are  fourths. 


WAK  SONGS 

Although  the  Mandan  contributed  numerous  war  songs  to  this 
work,  the  brief  notes  concerning  war  customs  were  given  only  by 
members  of  the  Hidatsa  tribe.  These  concern  the  sallying  forth 
of  a  war  party  in  search  or  pursuit  of  an  enemy,  the  defensive  war¬ 
fare  of  the  village  not  being  described. 

Pan  (pis.  10,  a\  14,  c)  said  that  a  war  party  was  usually  organized 
by  one  man,  who  quietly  asked  his  friends  to  join  it.  Tobacco  ac¬ 
companied  the  invitation,  and  this  tobacco  was  smoked  at  the  meet¬ 
ings  held  before  they  left  the  village.  A  war  party  usually  com¬ 
prised  about  20  men.  They  started  about  daybreak,  going  quietly 
so  they  would  not  be  stopped  by  relatives  nor  followed  by  unwelcome 


DENS  More] 


MANDAN  AND  HIDATSA  MUSIC 


145 


additions  to  their  number.  The  man  who  started  the  expedition 
was  usually  its  leader.  He  had  a  stiff  untanned  wolf  hide  as  his 
fetish.  He  appointed  about  three  scouts,  and  the  leader  of  these 
carried  the  wolf  hide  across  his  back,  the  head  over  his  left  shoulder, 
and  the  tail  under  his  right  arm.  The  wolf  hide  was  “incensed” 
with  burning  sweet  grass  before  it  was  given  to  the  leader  of  the 
scouts.  It  is  said  that  the  wolf  hide  “  sometimes  came  to  life,  walked 
around,  and  advised  the  warriors  as  to  the  best  course  for  them  to 
pursue.”  (A  similar  tradition  among  the  Sioux  is  recorded  in  Bull.  61, 
Bur.  Amer.  Ethn.,  p.  189;  cf.  also  pp.  348  and  388.) 

The  Hidatsa  counted  five  coups  to  each  slain  enemy,  the  honor  of 
counting  these  being  designated  as  follows :  The  man  who  killed  the 
enemy  and  the  man  who  first  struck  him  were  each  entitled  to  wear 
a  plain  eagle  feather,  the  second  man  who  struck  him  wore  an  eagle 
feather  with  one  diagonal  black  stripe,  the  third  wore  an  eagle 
feather  with  two,  and  the  fourth  with  three  similar  black  stripes. 

Old  Hog  said  that  a  woman  who  had  lost  a  relative  in  war  some¬ 
times  went  with  a  war  party,  though  she  had  no  relative  among  the 
warriors.  She  cooked  and  mended  for  them  and  incited  them  to 
avenge  her  relative.  If  they  secured  a  scalp  they  gave  it  to  her,  and 
she  carried  it  in  the  victory  dance  after  their  return.  Scalps  were 
dried  and  kept  for  a  time,  after  which  some  put  them  with  their 
medicine  and  others  threw  them  away. 


146 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAFT  ETHNOLOGY 


[bull.  80 


The  following  song  was  sung  while  the  warriors  were  sitting  in 
the  lodge,  before  starting  on  an  expedition : 


No.  77.  Song-  When  Organizing  a  War  Party 

(Catalogue  No.  888) 


Recorded  by  Old  Dog 


Voice  =  oa 

> 

Drum  not  recorded 


Analysis. — This  song  is  strongly  harmonic  in  character,  has  a  com¬ 
pass  of  an  octave,  and  contains  only  the  tones  of  the  minor  triad  and 
fourth.  The  rhythmic  unit  is  short  and  occurs  in  both  double  and 
triple  measures.  Progression  is  chiefly  by  the  minor  third,  which 
constitutes  more  than  half  the  entire  number  of  intervals. 


The  words  of  the  following  song  indicate  that  it  was  sung  by  a 
leader  of  warriors  to  stimulate  the  younger  members  of  the  party. 
The  melody  is  dignified,  almost  stately,  reflecting  fhe  spirit  of  the 
words. 


KENS  more] 


MANDAN  AND  HIDATSA  MUSIC 


147 


No.  78.  “Youn^  Wolves,  Do  Your  Best” 

(Catalogue  No.  865) 

Recorded  by  Wounded  Face 

Voice  J  =  73 


ni-  i  -  nu  -  ma  -  ki-ni-tos 


lia'date'  iii'kanite' _ young  wolves 

si'hada'nista _ do  your  best 

ui'inuma'kinitos' _ you  are  men 


Analysis. — The  tempo  of  this  song  is  slow  and  the  change  to  triple 
time  gives  variety  to  the  rhythm.  In  harmonic  form  it  is  unusually 
regular.  Seven  major  and  seven  minor  thirds  occur  and  are  divided 
almost  equally  between  ascending  and  descending  progressions.  The 
melody  follows  the  tones  of  the  tonic  and  dominant  chords  and 
contains  all  the  tones  of  the  octave  except  the  fourth. 

The  man  who  recorded  the  following  song  was  commonly  known 
as  Butterfly  (pi.  15,  c),  a  name  Avhich  Avas  due  to  a  misinterpretation 
of  his  Hidatsa  name.  In  the  Hidatsa  he  was  called  Apaii'gus,  mean¬ 
ing  “  white  clay  nose,”  but  the  word  for  “  butterfly  ”  is  so  nearly  like 
this  word  that  white  people  gave  him  the  name,  by  which  he  was 
known  throughout  his  life.  Butterfly  died  January  27,  1918.  His 
other  songs  are  Nos.  88  and  106. 

Butterfly  said  that  the  following  song  was  his  great-grandfather’s 
Avar  song  and  was  of  the  sort  sung  before  the  departure  of  a  war 
party. 


148 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAIT  ETHNOLOGY 


[bull.  80 


No.  79.  Old  War  Son^  (Catalogue  No.  896) 

Recorded  by  Butteefly 

Voice  J  =  so 
Drum  J  r  so 


WOKDS  (HIDATSA.  NOT  TBANSCRIBED) 

the  first  time  (he  went) 
he  brought  it  (an  expression  of  sarcasm 
meaning  that  he  returned  empty-handed) 
the  next  time 
he  brings  it 

Analysis, — A  wide  variety  of  intervals  is  used  in  this  song,  the 
largest  being  a  major  sixth  and  the  smallest  a  semitone.  The  melodic 
tones  are  those  of  the  minor  triad  and  the  seventh,  which  is  sharped 
in  the  fourth  measure.  On  listening  to  the  phonograph  record  there 
is  a  feeling  that  D  instead  of  F  was  desired  as  the  final  tone,  but  that 
it  was  below  the  range  of  the  singer’s  voice.  The  intonation  was 
wavering  throughout  all  the  renditions,  due  in  large  part  to  the 
advanced  age  of  the  singer. 

The  two  songs  next  following  are  those  of  the  medicine  men  whose 
power  was  supposed  to  be  essential  to  the  success  of  a  war  party.  It 
was  not  unusual  for  the  leader  of  a  war  party  to  be  a  man  who 
had  dreamed  a  dream  and  believed  in  its  help.  Old  Dog  said  that 
the  following  song  belonged  to  his  uncle,  One  Buffalo,  who  received 
it  in  a  dream.  He  saw  a  wolf  in  his  vision,  and  the  wolf  sang  this 
song  to  him.  One  Buffalo  lived  to  old  age  and  died  more  than 
60  years  ago.  When  acting  as  leader  of  a  war  party  he  said,  “  This 


ne'mata'ruk 

aku'hirits__. 

iku'liparuk- 

aku'warets— 


densmore]  MANDAK  AND  HIDATSA  MUSIC  149 

is  a  medicine  song.  I  want  all  our  party  to  return  in  safety  and  I 
want  you  all  to  sing  this  song  with  me.”  Then  the  warriors  all  sang 
the  song.  Before  making  the  phonograph  record  Old  Bog  spoke  a 
rapid  sentence  which  was  caught  by  the  recorder  and  later  translated. 
He  said  “  Grandfather,  I  am  going  to  sing  your  song.  Do  not  be 
offended.”  Similar  sentences  were  spoken  by  Sioux  singers  before 
recording  important  songs  and  are  noted  in  Bulletin  61,  Bur.  Amer. 
Ethn.,  pp.  95  and  163.  The  Sioux  also  had  a  war  song  given  by  a  wolf 
in  a  vision  (Bull.  61,  Bur.  Amer.  Ethn.,  No.  53). 


No.  80.  War  Medicine  Song  (Catalogue  No.  891) 


Recorded  by  Old  Dog 


Voice 


J-. 


=  66 


Drum  not  recorded 


(t) 

r~ 


r  r  r  r-r  n 


(2)  (2) 


• 

^ - 1 

4V  1*  P  Pa* 

W - - - y  - — 

•k  Tl 

*l*-j _ r_ _ r  I  • 

*  ™  I 

^  T  II 

_ ^  U _ _ _ L _ 

_  m  '  m  m  ' 

- Yi - IvwaA - : _ U 

Analysis. — This  melody  is  marked  by  strength  and  vigor.  It  con¬ 
tains  12  measures  and  only  14  progressions.  It  is  rhythmic  and  con¬ 
tains  two  somewhat  similar  phrases,  one  in  triple  and  one  in  double 
time,  these  being  designated  as  the  rhjdhmic  units  of  the  song. 
Only  three  ascending  intervals  occur;  the  song  has  a  compass  of  11 
tones,  descending  steadily  from  the  highest  to  the  lowest  tone  of  the 
compass. 


It  is  said  that  the  leader  of  a  war  party  usually  desired  a  rain  in 
which  to  attack  the  enemy’s  village  (see  Bull.  61,  Bur.  Amer.  Ethn., 
p.  348).  The  story  of  the  next  song  is  lost,  and  we  do  not  know  by 
what  mysterious  power  the  medicine-man  could  command  the  wind 
nor  what  advantage  he  gained  by  it.  We  are  only  told  that  it  is  the 
“  medicine  song  ”  of  Old  Dog,  a  prominent  chief  of  the  old  days,  and 
that  he  sang  it  before  a  battle. 


150 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


[  BULL.  80 


No.  81.  “I  will  Bring  the  Wind”  (Catalogue  No.  846) 
Recorded  by  Bear-on-the-flat 


Voice  J  r  so 
Drum  not  recorded 


WORDS  (HIDATSA) 

bu'tsi _ a  wind 

hiTie _ to  bring 

mawa'hets _ I  desire 

Analysis. — An  augmented  second  in  descending  progression  occurs 
twice  in  this  song  and  is  found  in  no  other  song  of  the  present  series. 
It  was  not  noted  among  the  Chippewa,  but  occurs  in  one  of  the  Sioux 
songs  recorded  by  Chippewa  (Bull.  53,  Bur.  Amer.  Ethn.,  No.  75) 
and  in  three  Sioux  songs  (Bull.  61,  Bur.  Amer.  Ethn.,  p.  220).  Other 
songs  containing  syncopations  are  noted  in  the  analysis  of  No.  1. 
This  song  is  peculiar  in  its  progressions,  more  than  one-third  of  the 
intervals  containing  only  one  or  two  semitones.  About  one-third  of 
the  intervals  are  major  thirds  and  the  song  is  strongly  major  in 
tonality.  The  melody  tones  are  those  of  the  fourth  five-toned  scale. 

The  two  songs  next  following  express  the  eagerness  of  the  warriors 
to  reach  the  enemy.  No.  82  is  said  to  be  the  song  of  Elying  Eagle,  a 
man  of  great  stature,  who  did  not  fear  to  charge  the  enemy  alone, 
riding  boldly  among  them. 


DENS  more] 


MANDAIT  AND  HIDATSA  MUSIC 


151 


No.  82.  “Take  Me  to  the  Sioux”  (Catalogue  No.  848) 
Recorded  by  Bear-on-the-flat 


Voice  J  r  84 
Drum  not  recorded 


41*  L  ^ 

-f  C  f  n 

p¥-,  "P” - ^ 

L-J 

J ■ 

Nl  t  J  J 

X'  »  A  '  1  A  1  -  ■  ~i  1 

' — at -  mAl — - J 

I - 1 


wr  r  i[r‘r  ir 

r '  f- 

^ — =A — 

1 A  ^ — * — * — 1 

Sa-o-ni -  te 

iSr^  {  {  I--I 

wa-o-kag-da- 

4%*  L  « — “5 — 

A  •  A 

"* - - ^ - n 

^  A 

J  w  r  r 

P 

r  w  "  -w  -  P  II 

y  I_ I 

L-U— f - 

H - “ 

hog  -  te  te  hu  a  -ma-he-nis  -  ta 


hog  -  te  te  hu  a  -ma-he-nis  -  ta 

WORDS  (MANDAN) 

Sa'oni'te _ The  Himkpapa  Sioux 

wa^okapdahopTe _ are  to  be  feared 

a'mahenis'ta _ take  me  to  them 


Analysis. — ^^This  song  contains  six  sorts  of  ascending  and  three  of 
descending  intervals,  giving  a  wide-  variety  of  progressions.  An  in¬ 
telligent  use  of  rhythm  is  evident  throughout  the  song.  It  is  inter¬ 
esting  to  compare  the  rhythmic  unit  with  the  remainder  of  the  song, 
which  contains  many  measures  similar  to  the  unit  but  not  repeating 
it  with  exactness.  In  general  character  the  song  is  forceful  and  posi¬ 
tive.  It  has  a  range  of  nine  tones,  beginning  on  the  sixth  above  and 
ending  on  the  dominant  below  the  keynote. 


152 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


[bull.  80 


No.  83.  “I  Will  Go”  (Catalogue  No.  907) 


Recorded  by  Wolf  Ghost 


Voice  J  =  84 
Drum  J  r  84 

Drum-rhythm  similar  to  No.  33 


a_ r~<T  '  frt  XI 

\  7*-  ^ 

1 V  P  P 

■ 

n 

Lj? _ r  r _ m 

1 

11 

1  L§. - 1 - 1 - V - 

L  = 

---  li 

ma'iha'ruk _ 

mare'wits  he 

hi'do _ 

maha'kuts _ 


WORDS  (HIDATSA) 

_ If  that  is  the  enemy 

- 1  will  go 

_ here 

_ I  am 


Analysis. — In  this  song  there  is  no  ascending  sequence  between 
accented  tones,  though  the  final  interval  is  an  ascending  interval. 
The  rhythm  is  characterized  by  the  division  of  a  quarter  note  into 
two-sixteenths  and  an  eighth,  but  no  rhythmic  unit  occurs.  About 
half  the  intervals  are  major  seconds.  The  song  has  a  range  of  ten 
tones  and  in  structure  it  is  melodic  with  harmonic  framework.  The 
tones  are  those  of  the  fourth  five-toned  scale. 


The  two  songs  next  following  are  “  scout  songs.”  No.  84  is  sup¬ 
posed  to  be  addressed  to  his  comrades  by  a  scout  who  took  up  his  duty 
at  night.  Probably  he  went  to  look  for  the  location  of  the  enemy. 


Dens  more] 


mandan  and  hidatsa  music 


153 


No.  84.  “Comrades,  Sleep  On”  (Catalogue  No.  880) 
Recorded  by  Crow’s  Heart 


Voice  J  =  84 

Drum  not  recorded 


i 

• 

m  m 

rF# — 

— n 

1  1 

“  j  j 

— 11 

j — 

wa  -  ha-fl5-ma-mik  -  tos 

WORDS  { MANDAN ) 


wenu'kanite' _ my  comrades 

ha'nananu'nista _ sleep  on 

waha'mamiktos' _ I  precede  you  as  scout 

Analysis. — The  progressions  of  this  melody  are  peculiar,  IT  of  the 
26  intervals  being  whole  tones  and  seven  being  fourths,  the  remain¬ 
ing  two  intervals  comprising  an  ascending  fifth  and  a  descending 
minor  third.  F  is  regarded  as  the  keynote  of  the  song  but  G  appears 
as  the  first  tone  in  six  measures  and  C  as  the  first  tone  in  the  remain¬ 
ing  four  measures.  The  song  contains  all  the  tones  of  the  octave  ex¬ 
cept  the  sixth  and  seventh  and  has  a  compass  of  12  tones. 

The  number  of  scouts  was  in  proportion  to  the  size  of  the  war 
party,  a  large  expedition  usually  sending  out  10  scouts  and  a  small 
party  only  2  scouts.  The  work  of  a  scout  was  often  lonely,  and  the 
scenes  of  home  returned  vividly  to  the  mind  of  the  watcher.  The 
words  of  No.  85  recall  the  work  of  the  young  women  in  the  gardens, 
as  described  on  pages  52  and  53. 


154 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


[bull.  80 


No.  85.  “She  Walks  Alone”  (Catalogue  No.  864) 


Recorded  by  Wounded  Face 

Voice  J  r  84 

Drum  not  recorded 


Suk-mi-he  -  nus 


I^J-j  Jill 


e  e  o  -  o-dak  e  mus-ta 


i 


m 


w 


de  -  ki  Hi  -  ka  miktos 


WORDS  (MANDAN) 

sukmi'henus  o'odak _ a  certain  maiden 

mils' ta _ _ to  the  garden 

de'ki _ goes, 

•  lli'ka _ lonely 

mik'tos _ she  walks 

Analysis. — This  song  was  recorded  by  Wounded  Face  on  two  differ¬ 
ent  occasions,  and  the  duplication  was  not  observed  until  both  phono¬ 
graph  records  had  been  transcribed.  On  comparing  the  two  tran¬ 
scriptions  it  was  found  that  they  did  not  differ  in  the  slightest  respect. 
Another  instance  of  exact  duplication  in  pitch,  tempo,  and  tone 
values  is  noted  in  the  analysis  of  No.  39.  Other  songs  containing 
syncopations  are  noted  in  the  analysis  of  No.  1. 

In  this,  as  in  a  majority  of  the  songs  that  followed  the  return  of 
a  victorious  war  party,  the  first  progression  is  upward.  The  song  is 
major  in  tonality,  yet  seven  of  the  ten  progressions  are  minor  thirds. 

As  there  were  ‘‘medicine  songs”  to  insure  the  success  of  a  war 
party,  so  there  were  songs  to  revive  the  strength  of  those  who  were 
almost  exhausted  in  battle.  The  singing  of  such  a  song  was  un¬ 
doubtedly  accompanied  by  the  use  of  some  medicinal  herb.  The 
following  song  was  said  to  have  been  “handed  down”  and  the  de¬ 
scription  of  its  use  appears  to  have  been  forgotten. 


DEN  smoke] 


MANDAN  AND  HIDATSA  MUSIC 


155 


No.  86.  S'on^  to  Renew  a  Warrior’s  Streng’th 

(Catalogue  No.  858) 

Recorded  by  Holding  Eagle 


Voice  J  =  6o 
Drum  J  =  eo 

Drum-rhythm  similar  to  No.  33 


Analysis. — Eight  renditions  of  this  song  were  recorded,  and  in 
them  all  the  tones  transcribed  as  B  natural  and  B  flat  were  sung  as 
indicated.  The  rhythmic  unit  is  clear  and  was  exactly  repeated. 
The  song  contains  no  change  of  time  and  no  interval  of  a  major 
third,  almost  half  the  intervals  being  minor  thirds.  It  is  interesting 
to  note  the  prominence  of  the  subdominant  in  the  latter  portion  of 
the  song.  The  singer  in  beginning  the  repetitions  of  this  song 
sounded  the  octave  above  the  final  tone  as  an  approach  to  the  high 
note  on  which  the  song  begins.  This  tone  does  not  appear  at  the 
first  of  the  phonograph  record  and  evidently  was  used  to  steady  the 
voice  in  the  large  ascent.  The  same  peculiarity  was  observed  in 
other  records  by  this  singer. 

A  woman’s  song  of  the  scalp  dance  was  recorded  by  one  who  took 
part  in  those  dances  when  she  was  a  young  woman. 


No.  87.  Woman’s  Scalp  Dance  Song 

(Catalogue  No.  902) 

Recorded  by  Leading  One 


156 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


[BUIX.  80 


Analysis. — The  tempo  of  this  song  is  very  slow,  which  is  interest¬ 
ing  in  connection  with  the  occasion  of  its  use.  An  Indian  once  said 
that  when  excited  they  sang  louder  but  not  faster.  In  tonality  this 
son"  is  minor  and  more  than  half  the  intervals  are  minor  thirds. 

In  the  dances  that  followed  the  return  of  a  victorious  war  party  a 
man  might  sing  his  uersonal  war  song,  as  he  related  some  deed  of 
valor. 

No.  88.  Butterfly’s  War  Song  (Catalogue  No.  897) 


Recorded  by  Buttertxy 


Voice  J  =  5o 
Drum  J  r  so 

Drum-rhythm  similar  to  No.  3a 


Analysis. — The  fourth  and  seventh  tones  of  the  octave  do  not  occur 
in  this  song.  These  are  the  tones  of  the  complete  octave  which  are 
omitted  in  the  fourth  five-toned  scale,  but  that  scale  is  major  in 
tonality,  while  the  present  song  is  minor  in  tonality,  the  third  tone 
being  a  minor  third  above  the  keynote.  (Cf.  Bull.  53,  Bur.  Amer. 
Ethn.,  p.  188,  and  Bull.  61,  Bur.  Amer.  Ethn.,  p.  141.)  This  song, 
like  No.  87,  is  very  slow  in  tempo.  Drum  and  voice  were  synchro¬ 
nous  on  the  first  of  each  measure,  the  double  drumbeat  being  steadily 
maintained  through  the  measures  in  triple  time.  With  the  exception 
of  two  ascending  fourths  the  intervals  are  minor  thirds  and  major 
seconds. 


It  is  the  custom  of  many  Indian  tribes  to  honor  their  successful 
warriors  by  inserting  their  names  in  “  praise  songs.”  Some  tribes 
insert  the  name  of  a  new  hero  in  an  old  song,  the  former  name 
being  withdrawn.  The  Mandan  appear  to  have  used  the  same 
song  for  several  warriors,  the  different  names  being  used  in  con¬ 
secutive  renditions.  Thus  a  war  song  was  recorded  by  Crow’s  Heart, 
which  contained,  in  consecutive  renditions,  the  names  of  Two  Bull, 
Kuns-after-eagle,  Spotted  Weasel,  and  Sitting  Crow,  these  being 


densmore] 


M  AND  AN  AND  HID  ATS  A  MUSIC  , 


157 


followed  by  the  words  (Mandan)  a'wado'du  wade'duk  waso'Mduts, 
translated  “Any  land  where  I  go,  in  front  of  me,”  meaning  that 
wherever  they  went  to  seek  the  enemy  they  were  successful.  This 
song  was  not  transcribed.  An  example  of  another  type  of  “  praise 
song”  is  shown  in  No.  89,  which  celebrates  the  Indian  virtue  of 
unlimited  generosity.  In  the  translation  the  name  of  White  Feather 
appears,  while  another  rendition  proclaimed  the  generosity  of  Little 

Bull. 


No.  89.  Song  in  Praise  of  Generosity 

( Catalogue  No.  881 ) 

Recorded  by  Crow’s  Heart 

Voice  J  -  8o 

Drum  not  recorded 


rL  fi — — 

r 

1  ^ 

- 1 - ^ - fl 

^  fj?  "11  1 

t  a  ^ 

_ M 

• M 

L  »  J ^ 

  1 

w 

r/5  -  •  »  1 

r  ^  m  •  m  m  m  m 

lAfc 

I  -  pe-so-ta»te  nu-mu-ka-«  -  ki 


WORDS  ( MANDAN ) 


I'peso'tate' _ Him,  White  Feather, 

nu'mukaki _ that  man’s 

wa'kade _ _ _ property 

mikos' _ he  never  (keeps) 

tuku'sotes - it  is  true 


Analysis. — The  ascending  fourth  at  the  beginning  of  this  song 
is  the  only  interval  other  than  minor  thirds  and  major  seconds  oc¬ 
curring  in  the  entire  melody.  D  flat  is  considered  to  be  the  key¬ 
note,  the  song  thus  containing  the  tones  of  the  fourth  five-toned 
scale,  beginning  on  the  third  in  the  upper  and  ending  on  the  third 
.  in  the  lower  octave.  For  other  songs  containing  a  change  of  tempo 
see  the  analysis  of  No.  8. 


2118°— 23 - 12 


158 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


[bull.  80 


The  following  is  an  example  of  the  songs  that  were  composed, 
either  in  words  or  music,  to  commemorate  some  special  victory.  It 
was  recorded  by  two  singers.  Scattered  Corn  and  Wolf  Head.  On 
comparing  the  records  it  was  found  that  the  melody  was  the  same, 
but  the  words  were  slightly  different.  The  writer  played  the  two 
records  for  the  Indians,  who  said  that  both  sets  of  words  were  cor¬ 
rect,  but  that  Scattered  Corn’s  referred  to  an  incident  of  very  old 
times,  while  Wolf  Head’s  referred  to  a  comparatively  recent  oc¬ 
currence  at  Knife  Kiver.  The  words  sung  by  Wolf  Head  were 
Hidatsa  and  were  said  to  mean,  “  These  five.  They  must  be  women. 
I  made  them  cry.”  The  incident  concerned  the  killing  and  scalping 
of  five  Sioux  by  warriors  from  the  Mandan-Hidatsa  village  at  Fort 
Berthold.  No  incident  was  related  by  Scattered  Corn,  the  song  be¬ 
ing  old  and  the  circumstances  of  its  composition  having  been  long 
forgotten. 

No.  90.  Yictory  Song*  (Catalogue  No.  806) 


Recorded  by  Scatteked  Corn 

Voice  J  z  loo 
Drum  J  z  loo 

Drum-rhYthm  similar  to  No.  50 

(1) 


(I) 


XI 


8uk-mi-  he  -  nus 


da-tah-wa  -  he  -  dis 


words  (MANDAN) 


Ihag'tuma _ 

sukmi'henus _ 

da'taKwahe'dis 


The  Yankton  Sioux 
young  woman 
I  made  her  cry 


densmore] 


MANDAN  AND  HIDATSA  MUSIC 


159 


Analysis. — The  two  rhythmic  units  of  this  song  are  interesting 
and  well  defined.  An  unusual  variety  of  intervals  occurs,  the 
largest  being  a  minor  sixth  and  the  smallest  a  semitone.  In  struc¬ 
ture  the  song  is  classified  as  melodic  with  harmonic  framework.  All 
the  tones  of  the  octave  except  the  fourth  are  present  in  the  melody. 

The  remaining  songs  of  this  group  (Nos.  91-98)  are  typical  songs 
of  the  victory  dances  that  followed  the  return  of  a  successful  war 
party.  Scalps  of  the  enemy  were  usually  carried  in  these  dances. 
It  is  said  that  the  following  song  was  sung  by  the  women. 

No.  91.  Song  of  Triiimpli  (Catalogue  No.  815) 


Recorded  by  Scattered  Corn 


kas  e  -  o  -  ni-kuk  ha  -  ho-wa  -  he 


WORDS  (MANDAN) 

wa'liikena _ 

wapa'kamikas 

e'onikuk _ 

haho'walia _ 


the  wicked  one 
-was  shy 
-is  it  he? 

..(exclamation  of  pleasure) 


160 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


[bull.  80 


Analysis. — Three  renditions  of  this  song  were  recorded,  the  rhythm 
being  unvarying  throughout  the  repetitions.  The  phrase  designated 
as  a  rhythmic  unit  is  simply  a  recurrent  phrase,  not  a  theme  that  is 
worked  over,  as,  for  instance,  in  No.  82.  The  ascending  seventh  at 
the  introduction  of  the  words  was  sung  with  reasonable  accuracy. 
Two  triads  form  the  framework  of  the  melody,  B  flat-D  flat-F,  in 
measures  1  to  5,  and  F-A  flah-C  in  measures  6  to  8,  followed  by  a  repe¬ 
tition  in  the  part  of  the  song  containing  the  words.  The  interval  of 
a  fourth  comprises  about  one-third  of  the  progressions. 


The  words  of  this  song  suggest  the  treachery  of  the  enemy. 


No.  92.  “He  Holds  a  Knife  in  His  Hand” 

(Catalogue  No.  816) 

Recorded  by  Scattered  Corn 


Voice  J  =  63 
Drum  J  =  69 

Drum-rhythm  similar  to  No.  37 


Wa-u  -ke-tu-nis 


3^ 

a  -  0  -  ko-ma-kos  ma-  (vocables) 


hi  -  ha-ma-he  -  na 


ka-ni  a  ma-kos 


WORDS  (MANDAN) 


wa'uketu'nis _ the  inimical  one 

ako'makos _ is  over  there 

ma'hihama'hena  ka'ni _ he  is  holding  a  knife  in  his  hand 

makos' _ as  he  lies  there 


Analysis. — This  song  contains  the  tones  E  flat,  F,  G  flat,  and  B 
flat,  suggesting  E  flat  as  the  keynote,  but  the  progressions  of  the 
melody  are  such  that  the  song  is  analyzed  with  B  flat  as  the  key¬ 
note.  This  is  one  of  many  instances  in  which  the  terms  “keynote” 


DENS  moke] 


MANDAN  AND  HIDATSA  MUSIC 


161 


and  key  ”  are  not  fully  adapted  to  the  analysis  of  Indian  songs  and 
should  be  understood  as  being  used  chiefly  for  convenience  of  observa¬ 
tion.  The  tonality  is  not  established,  as  the  third  above  B  flat  does 
not  occur.  The  final  tone  is  unaccented.  Other  songs  with  this 
peculiarity  are  noted  in  the  analysis  of  No.  12.  The  song  has  a 
range  of  only  five  tones,  and  the  only  progressions  are  fourths  and 
major  seconds,  which  are  about  equal  in  number.  Throughout  the 
three  renditions  the  drum  was  slightly  faster  than  the  voice.  The 
tempo  of  the  voice  was  fairly  regular,  though  not  rigidly  main¬ 
tained.  At  the  end  of  the  first  section  and  also  at  the  close  of  the 
song  the  voice  trailed  downward  in  a  glissando.  (See  analysis  of 
No.  1.) 

The  progressions  in  this  song  are  V"A  a  A'  - y'A  A' A —  — 

shown  in  figure  6.  (Cf.  similar  dia- 
gram  of  song  No.  72.) 

Fig.  6. — Plot  of  song  No.  92. 

No.  93.  “The  Enemy  Came  as  a  Wolf” 

(Catalogue  No.  817) 

Ilecorded  by  Scattered  Corn 

Voice  J  =  84 
Drum  J  =  84 

Drum-rhythm  similar  to  No.  37 


ko-ni  i  -  ke  -  de-ho-te  hi-de  -  ki-hi-ni  na-to-de 

- z - 1  r-f:z — z - 1 

njMI 


I  n 


hi-de- Ha-ka  na-to-de  hi-de  -  su-di-ni  na-to-de 


162 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


[BULL.  80 


WOKDS  (MANDAN) 


nu'makena - that  man  (the  enemy) 

Imna'deliiis _ came  as  a  wolf 

tawa'ohetu'nihus _ seeking 

koni'ha®® _ the  larger  part  (of  the  expedition) 

i'kedehote _ returned  with  shame 

hi'dekihi'ni _ ; _ he  must  be  home 

na'tode - by  this  time 

hi'dellaka _ be  must  be  sad 

na'tode _ by  this  time 

hi'desudini _ he  must  be  hanging  his  head  in  shame 

na'tode - by  this  time 


Analysis. — This  melody,  especially  the  rhythmic  unit,  has  a  taunt¬ 
ing  sound  in  keeping  with  the  words  (cf.  Nos.  18  and  107  of  the 
present  work;  also  Bull.  53,  Bur.  Amer.  Ethn.,  p.  91).  A  wide 
variety  of  intervals  occurs  in  this  song,  although  almost  one-third  ' 
of  the  progressions  are  fourths.  The  song  is  melodic  in  structure 
and  contains  only  the  tones  of  the  major  triad  and  second.  Two 
renditions  were  recorded  and  show  no  differences.  A  downward 
glissando  occurred  at  the  end  of  the  first  section  and  also  at  the 
close  of  the  song  (see  No.  1). 

This  is  the  personal  victory  song  of  Foolish  Soldier,  a  nephew  of 
Scattered  Corn,  who  died  many  years  ago. 


The  singer  elided  this  with  the  following  word. 


DENS  more] 


MANDAN  AND  HIDATSA  MUSIC 


163 


No.  94.  “I  Killed  Three”  (Catalogue  No.  818) 
Recvorded  by  Scattered  Corn 


Voice  J  =  73 
Drum  not  recorded 


WORDS  (MANDAN) 

na'mini _ the  three 

waki'hiniha _ killed 

mi'ona  ® _ I  am  the  one 

i'wasekos _ who  did  it 

Analysis. — This  song  progresses  chiefly  by  whole  tones  and  only 
one-third  of  the  progressions  are  larger  than  a  minor  third.  The 
accented  tones  are  widely  separated.  No  rhythmic  unit  occurs, 
although  the  count  divisions  of  the  third,  fourth,  and  fifth  measures 
before  the  end  of  the  song  resemble  the  count  divisions  of  measures 
in  the  first  part  of  the  song,  with  a  different  accent. 

This  song  refers  to  an  occasion  when  the  Sioux  disguised  them¬ 
selves  by  coverings  of  buffalo  robes  and  looked  over  the  top  of  a 
butte.  They  were  discovered  by  the  Mandan,  who  killed  three 


«  This  was  elided  with  the  following  word  by  the  singer. 


164 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


[bull.  80 


of  them.  A  song  with  similar  words  was  recorded  by  Scattered 
Corn,  who  said  that  like  No.  94  it  was  a  personal  victory  song  of 
her  nephew.  The  incident  which  she  related  in  connection  with 
the  song  was  as  follows :  Some  Sioux  warriors,  pursued  by  the  Man- 
dan,  covered  themselves  Avith  buffalo  robes  and  walked  single  file, 
pretending  to  be  buffalos.  When  out  of  sight  they  threw  aAvay  the 
buffalo  robes.  The  Mandan  found  the  robes  and  saw  the  trick  of 
the  Sioux.  Eenewing  the  chase,  they  overtook  the  Sioux  and  killed 
them  all.  Foolish  Soldier  was  probably  a  member  of  this  war 
party. 

No.  95.  “Disg’uised  as  a  Buffalo”  (Catalogue  No.  847) 


Recorded  by  Bear-on-the-flat. 

Voice  J  r  ee 

Drum  not  rec,orded 


I  -  hai)  -  tu  -  ma-na- te 


mi  nu  -  mak  kos  e 


te  e  SOS  numak  e  ai]-sa-ki  we-do  -  ki-hede-sa  ki 


WORDS  (MANDAN) 


Ihar) 'tumanate' _ O  Yankton  Sioux 

mi _ I 

nu'mak  kos _ am  a  man 

e'teesos - you  said 

nu'mak _ a  man 

aij  'saki _ why 

wedo'kiliede'sa - are  you  disguised  as  a  buffalo? 

hi'kanas - you  discredit 

uiddos - yourselves 


Analysis. — It  is  interesting  to  note  that  more  than  one-third  of 
the  progressions  in  this  song  are  fourths,  as  this  interval  was  promi¬ 
nent  in  Chippewa  songs  and  Sioux  songs  concerning  the  buffalo 
(see  Bull.  53,  Bur.  Amer.  Ethn.,  p.  99,  and  Bull.  61,  Bur.  Amer. 
Ethn.,  p.  286).  The  ascending  trend  at  the  opening  of  the  song  is 


DENS  more] 


MANDAN  AND  HIDATSA  MUSIC 


165 


unusual,  also  the  wideness  of  the  melody  formation.  In  contrast  to 
this  we  note  the  lack  of  interest  in  the  pitch  of  the  accented  tones, 
the  variety  of  progression  being  entirely  in  the  unaccented  parts  of 
the  measures.  The  tempo  of  the  song  is  slow,  which  emphasizes  the 
scorn  expressed  in  the  words. 

The  following  war  song  was  used  by  members  of  the  Fox  Society. 
The  same  words  were  recorded  by  this  singer  with  song  No.  54, 
but  in  that  instance  are  not  transcribed.  Sitting  Rabbit  recorded 
the  same  melody,  with  these  slightly  different  words:  Matse'nage 
7)iare'wUs^ma'kure'wUs^mQ?im\\^^'^  If  it  is  a  man  I  will  pursue  him.” 

No.  96.  “I  Will  Pursue  Him”  (Catalogue No.  851) 
Recorded  by  Holding  Eagle 


•Voice  J  r  69 

Drum  not  recorded 


tse  -  ruk  hi  ma- re -wits  hi  e  a  he  a 


^  •  A  .A  I 

1-=^ - ^ ^ w 

m  w 

-  1  1  1  n 

r 

^  m  M  M  1 1 

if  ^ 

- 

he  ma-ku  -  re -wits 


WOEDS  (HIDATSA) 

matse'ruk _ if  a  man 

mare'wits _  I  will  go 

ma'kure'wits - 1  will  pursue  him 

Analysis. — More  than  half  the  intervals  in  this  song  are  fourths. 
The  melody  has  a  compass  of  11  tones  and  a  steadily  descending 
trend.  It  is  not  rhythmic  in  character.  Other  songs  containing  syn¬ 
copations  are  noted  in  the  analysis  of  No.  1. 

The  words  of  this  song  suggest  that  the  enemy  was  reluctant  to 
come  and  fight  the  Mandan  (cf.  words  of  No.  91). 


166 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


[bull,.  80 


No.  07.  “The  Hated  Enemy”  (Catalogue  No.  866) 
Recorded  by  Wounded  Face 

Voice  J  =  eo 


Hik  wa-wa-pa -ka-nus  e  -  o  -  dak  hu  -  da-mindawa-te 


WORDS  (MANDAN) 

ba'Iiik - the  hated  enemy 

wawapa'kaniis - stubborn 

e'odak _ he 

hiFdami  'dawate _ is  coining 


A7iahjsi8.—T:\\^  rhythmic  unit  in  this  song  is  interesting,  as  it 
contains  small  count  divisions  repeated  with  accuracy.  In  tonality 
the  song  is  minor,  containing  all  the  tones  of  the  octave  except  the 
second.  Progression  is  chiefly  by  thirds  and  major  seconds. 


densmore] 


MANDAN  AND  HIDATSA  MUSIC 


167 


No.  98.  “The  Sioux  Come” 

(Catalogue  No.  882) 

Recorded  by  Crow’s  Heart 

Voice  J  =  72 

I 

Drum  not  recorded 


WORDS  (HIDATSA) 


Ihaij'tuwa _ the  Teton  Sioux 

hu'ike'its _ come  (a  word  expressing  contempt) 

i'ahuk _ and  many  of  them, 

i'wia - they  weep 

iduts' _ continually, 

i'ka — - behold  them 


Arwly^s.—Thi's,  interesting  melody  comprises  two  parts,  each  con¬ 
taining  four  measures.  The  opening  measures  of  the  second  part 
were  strongly  accented.  The  melody  lies  partly  above  and  partly 
below  the  keynote  and  progresses  chiefly  by  whole  tones.  It  contains 
the  complete  octave  except  the  seventh  and  is  melodic  in  structure. 

This  song  refers  to  the  custom  of  “  counting  coup  ”  by  striking  an 
enemy.  The  final  word  signifies  “  to  beat  or  whip  with  a  stick,” 
not  simply  to  strike  the  enemy. 


168 


bureau  of  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


[bull.  80 


No.  99.  “What  Was  It  You  Struck?” 

(Catalogue  No.  862) 

Recorded  by  Ckow’s  Heart 


Voice  J  =  50 
Drum  not  recorded 


WORDS  (MANDAN) 

su'kenite' _ children 

wate'week _ what  was  it 

da'kapanasoos' _ , _ you  struck? 

Analysis. — In  common  with  a  majority  of  these  war  songs,  the 
present  melody  has  an  upward  progression  as  its  first  interval.  The 
most  frequent  interval  is  the  minor  third,  yet  the  song  has  a  wide 
melodic  trend.  No  rhythmic  unit  occurs,  but  the  count-divisions  of 
the  fifth  and  seventh  measures  give  a  rhythmic  vigor  to  the  song. 

The  following  war  song  was  used  by  members  of  the  Dog  Society : 

No.  100.  “I  Do  Not  Fear”  (Catalogue  No.  879) 
Recorded  by  Crow’s  Heart 


Voice  J  r  i76 
Drum  not  recorded 


If?  0 

— fS-s - 

FS= 

If  ■  . . . 

1  - 

Lg)g  If-f  4 

^ L 

1  4  g 

We  -  nu  -  ka.- ni  -  te  ki  -  -  da  -  ksa-nis- 


densmore] 


MANDAN  AND  HIDATSA  MUSIC 


169 


WORDS  (MANDAN) 

wenil'kanite' _ my  comrades 

ki'daksams'ta _ fighting 

i'wakada'ksukoos' _ . _ I  do  not  fear 

Analysis. — The  tempo  of  this  song  is  unusually  rapid  and,  like 
many  other  war  songs  of  this  series,  it  has  a  wide  melodic  range.  It 
is  harmonic  in  structure  and  extends  from  the  octave  downward  to 
the  keynote.  A  majority  of  these  war  songs  are  harmonic  in  struc¬ 
ture.  This  song  is  not  rhythmic  in  character  and  contains  only  the 
tones  of  the  major  triad  and  second. 

It  is  said  that  the  words  of  the  following  song  were  not  composed 
for  use  at  a  scalp  dance.  The  words  had  their  origin  in  the  lodge 
of  one  of  the  societies  many  years  ago.  A  relative  of  Old  Dog’s 
father  played  a  joke  on  him,  and  Old  Dog’s  father  craftily  “  got 
the  best  of  him.”  The  incident  was  greatly  appreciated  by  the 
members  of  the  society,  who  “  made  a  song  ”  about  it.  Later  the 
song  was  used  in  the  scalp  dances.  The  words  were  recorded  by 
two  singers,  each  of  whom  used  them  with  a  different  melody.  This 
indicates  the  pleasure  that  the  Indians  take  in  an  encounter  of  wit, 
especially  between  relatives. 


No.  101.  “You  are  Foolish”’  (Catalogue  No.  908) 


Recorded  by  Harry  Eaton 

Voice  J  -  iie 
Drum  J  -  los 

Drum-rhythm  similar  to  No.  60 


I - 1  I - 1 


4V  1  m  m 

II 

w  w  ^  w  m  w 

A  *  A  II 

r  J  L  r 

r  r  _ _ U 

’mJ  f  LJ'  -P  L 

r  4  ^  ^ 

ni _ 

madanufipa'ka 

sa _ 

ni - 


maru'litawa 

gu'sawats__. 


WORDS  (HIDATSA,  NOT  TRANSCRIBED) 

-  you  (are) 

- my  relative 

- but 

- you 

_ are  foolish 

_ _ that  is  why  I  did  so 


170 


BUREAXJ  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


[bull.  80 


Analysis. — The  rhythmic  unit  of  this  song  is  simple  and,  except 
for  a  closing  measure,  is  continuously  repeated,  the  melody  descend¬ 
ing  in  this  rhythm  from  the  highest  to  the  lowest  tone  of  its  compass. 
The  tempo  of  the  drum  is  slightly  slower  than  that  of  the  voice. 
The  second  and  sixth  tones  of  the  octave  are  lacking  in  the  song, 
which  is  harmonic  in  structure. 

No.  102.  War  Song*  (Catalogue  No.  889) 

Recorded  by  Old  Dog 


Voice  J  =  92(J^=i84) 

Drum  J  z  92 

Drum- rhythm  similar  to  No.  32 


Analysis. — Of  the  19  progressions  in  this  song  17  are  whole  tones 
and  minor  thirds,  the  remaining  two  intervals  being  a  minor  sixth  and 
a  fourth.  The  drumbeat  is  in  eighth  note  values  continuing  steadily 
through  the  3-8  and  5-8  measures.  Two  renditions  were  recorded, 
and  in  both  renditions  the  tempo  of  the  5-8  measures  was  accurate. 
The  melodic  tones  are  those  of  the  fourth  five-toned  scale. 

MISCELLANEOUS  SONGS 

The  songs  comprised  in  this  group,  like  many  of  the  war  and 
society  songs,  can  not  be  definitely  ascribed  to  either  the  Mandan  or 
Hidatsa  tribes.  In  some  instances  a  song  was  recorded  by  a  Mandan 
and  verified  by  an  Hidatsa,  while,  as  in  preceding  groups,  some  songs 
undoubtedly  originated  in  one  tribe  and  were  sung  with  words  of 
the  other  language. 

The  first  two  songs  were  sung  to  children.  No.  103  was  recorded 
by  both  Wolf  Head  and  Scattered  Corn  (Mandan),  the  melody 
being  practically  the  same,  but  the  words  slightly  different  in  the 
latter  portion.  The  transcription  is  from  Wolf  Head’s  rendition. 


densmore] 


MANDAN  AND  HIDATSA  MUSIC 


171 


and  the  words  (not  transcribed)  are  those  given  by  Scattered  Corn. 
The  words  resemble  those  of  the  “  game  of  silence  ”  recorded  among 
the  Chippewa  (Bull,  53,  Bur.  Amer.  Ethn.,  p.  303),  in  which  the 
situations  were  made  as  exciting  as  possible  and  a  fine  imposed  on 
the  child  who  laughed  when  the  song  suddenly  ceased.  Both  sets  of 
words  mention  a  trail  and  a  journey.  In  the  Chippewa  song  a  fat 
pig  is  hanging  in  a  tree,  while  in  the  Mandan  song  a  buffalo  calf 
is  ‘‘  lying  up  high.”  A  resemblance  between  the  folk  tale  of  the 
turtle  who  went  to  war,  as  recorded  among  the  Chippewa  and  the 
Mandan,  is  noted  in  footnote  on  page  89. 

No.  103.  “Whose  Track  Is  It?”  (Catalogue  No.  982) 
Recorded  by  Wolf  Head 


Voice  J  =  58 

Drum  not  recorded 


0  0 

= - ;  — 

z 

— - . 

WORDS  (MANDAN,  NOT  TRANSCRIBED) 


de^make . that 

de^make . that 

tewe^ . whose 

oniMeska . track  is  it  like? 

tate^i . grand  father 

hi^nups . two-teeth  (beaver) 

oniMeska . it  is  like  his  track 

UQ^Saki . if  it  is 

a'sidata . follow  it  on 

ti^sohe^nawehik . the  man  came  to  a  wigwam 

ti'kabos^bos . pounded  the  wigwam 

we^sido  dasi^sik . with  worn-out  feet 

ta'wido'T^ehi'diik . with  a  wriggled  (twisted)  bag 

a'kita . up  high 


172 


BUEEAtr  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


[bull.  80 


wedo^kadepe^na . 
hu^hamak  ni^kasi 
de^ptasedo^'sedo. . . 

ma^na . 

woMaskiski . 

do^ki . 

wena^kpapa . 

ista^ . 

kaMakugk^tka. . . . 


lay  a  big,  fat 
young  buffalo  calf 
with  a  soft  belly-button 
walking 

.crumbling  sticks 
crab  shells 
have  a  dance 
he 

knocked  his  eye  out 


Analysis. — The  several  renditions  of  this  song  were  alike  in  rhythm 
but  wavering  in  intonation.  It  has  been  noted  frequently  that  the 
rhythm  of  a  song  is  repeated  with  more  accuracy  than  the  intervals 
if  the  singer  is  not  proficient.  In  this  instance  the  singer  was  an  aged 
man  who  had  never  been  considered  a  particularly  good  singer,  but 
who  knew  the  old  songs  of  his  tribe.  Minor  thirds  comprise  19  of 
the  34  intervals.  Only  two  intervals  larger  than  these  occur  in  the 
song,  which  has  a  compass  of  only  six  tones.  It  is  interesting  to 
note  that  the  accented  tone  in  the  first  five  and  in  the  last  four 
measures  is  D,  while  the  intervening  measures  show  an  alternation  of 
accented  D  and  E. 


The  native  words  of  this  song  to  a  little  child  were  recorded  and 
are  freely  transcribed  as  follows:  “‘I  want  to  keep  you,  little  fox,’ 
she  said.  The  little  fox  said,  ‘  It  is  not  right  that  you  want  to  keep 
me.’  She  said,  ‘  You  are  my  little  baby.’  ”  As  an  interesting  com¬ 
parison  with  this  song  we  note  another  song  which  is  not  transcribed 
but  contains  the  words  (freely  translated)  :  “  Fox,  cut  your  foot,  keep 
on  lifting  one  after  another.”  The  word  translated  “  cut  ”  means 
‘‘  to  chop  or  cut  with  a  blow,”  and  the  song,  which  was  sung  to  little 
children,  may  have  been  intended  to  encourage  the  child  in  the  use  of 
its  feet. 

No.  104.  Song*  to  a  Little  Child  (Catalogue  No.  901) 
Recorded  by  Leading  One 


Voice  J  =  eo 

Drum  not  recorded 


Analysis. — The  first  portion  of  this  song  comprises  three  complete 
measures  and  is  broken  by  a  rest.  This  portion  is  somewhat  lively 


dbnsmoke] 


MANDAN  AND  HIDATSA  MUSIC 


173 


in  rhythm  and  progressions,  while  the  second  portion  is  quiet  and 
soothing  in  character.  We  may  trace  a  correspondence  between  the 
music  and  words  of  the  two  parts,  the  first  being  the  words  of  the 
mother  and  the  second  the  reply  of  the  child.  The  song  has  a  range 
of  six  tones  and  progresses  chiefly  by  whole  tones. 


This  was  said  to  be  “  a  very  old  medicine  song  which  originated 
with  a  man  who  saw  an  elk  in  a  dream.”  No  further  information 
could  be  secured  concerning  it.  (Cf.  elk  dreams  and  songs  among 
the  Sioux,  Bull.  61,  Bur.  Amer.  Ethn.,  pp.  176-179.) 


No.  105.  Son^  of  an  Elk  Dream  (Catalogue  No.  883) 


Recorded  by  Crow’s  Heart 

Voice  J  r  lae 

Drum  not  recorded 


ka  -  ki  -  de  pi-ka  -  si  si-<7-da  -  has 


ta  -  te  mi-du-a  -  ma  -  ats 


I 


WORDS  (HIDATSA) 

mado'kakide _ elk  bunt 

pi'kasi _  (?) 

sia'dahas' _ be  said 

ta'te _ father 

midua'maats _ I  go  to  shoot 

Analysis. — This  so'ng  contains  only  one  interval  larger  than  a 
major  third.  The  major  triad  is  prominent  in  its  progressions,  but 
the  song  is  analyzed  as  melodic  with  harmonic  framework.  It  has 
a  compass  of  12  tones  and  is  based  on  the  fourth  five-toned  scale. 

The  words  of  the  following  song  are  freely  translated.  The  gen¬ 
eral  idea  is  that  the  comrade’s  whole  life  had  changed  since  he 
married  and  that  the  singer,  without  expressing  too  much,  desired 
to  indicate  his  sympathy  and  understanding. 


2118°— 23 - 13 


174 


BXJEEATJ  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


[bull.  80 


No.  106.  “We  Made  Fire”  (Catalogue  No.  898) 


Recorded  by  Butteefly 


Voice  J  =  so 
Drum  J  z  so 

Drum-rhythm  similar  to  No.  3a 


f-'  f- 

:z  ; 

f'  f  f 

P  f  , 

"CTriTTl - FT 

-| - d - 

1  J 

L 4 

_ 

-  1 ■ 

Ma-dak  ma- pa  mi- da  wo -is  tsa-ka-tsi  -  ru 


ma  mi  -  du- ha- na-hets  mi  -  a  e  wa-hke-wa 


ifcii  P  P 

■  1 A  "  _  "  u 

j-rf 

A  A  1  'V 

m  m  75  n 

1  P ^ It 

• 

 ■  \  r  ■  =1:3 

L-1  ' 

1  '  ■■ 

i  -  si- a 


WOKDS  (HIDATSA) 

madak' _ comrade 

mapa'  mi'da  awo'is^ _ in  the  daytime  when  we  made  fire 

tsaka'tsiru _ it  was  pleasant 

mi'duhana'hets  mi'a 
walike'wa  isi'a _ 

Analysis. — This  song  is  harmonic  in  structure  and  is  based  on  the 
second  five-toned  scale.  It  has  a  compass  of  11  tones  and  is  strongly 
descending  in  trend,  two-thirds  of  the  progressions  being  downward. 
The  major  third  does  not  occur,  the  fourth  and  minor  third  being 
equal  and  each  comprising  about  one-third  of  the  total  number  of 
intervals. 


1 1  understand  women 


In  explanation  of  the  following  song  Bear-on-the-flat  said  that  a 
mountain  band  of  Hidatsa  once  joined,  themselves  to  the  Mandan. 
These  people  were  called  Awaha'wi,  meaning  “  earth  many  pointed.” 
The  song  is  about  a  woman  of  this  band.  Her  husband  was  killed  by 
the  Sioux.  The  members  of  the  society  to  which  he  belonged  were 
all  regarded  as  “brothers,”  and  when  the  term  of  her  widowhood 
had  passed  they  wanted  to  marry  her,  but  she  refused  them,  saying, 
“You  are  not  men;  my  husband  was  a  brave  man.”  Finally  she 
married  a  man  named  Coyote,  who  was  the  weakest  and  poorest  of 
them  all.  As  soon  as  the  others  knew  of  this  they  made  a  song  about 
her,  and  wherever  the  couple  went  someone  was  sure  to  start  this 
gong. 


f  The  first  syllable  of  this  word  was  omitted  by  the  singer. 


densmoke] 


MANDAN  AND  HIDATSA  MUSIC 


175 


No.  107.  Song  of  Derision  (Catalogue  No.  839) 


Recorded  by  Beak-on-the-flat 


Voice  J  =  76 
Drum  J  r  76 

Drum-rhythm  similar  to  No.  37 


irr~7i — T — P — * — T — 

1  ^ 

\  T 

— 1  I - h - - 

 ^ 

1 

'~m  1 

LA 

- - 

^-~r-  f, 

¥.  -  I 

.  1 

^  r— i 

“ 1 

r 

i - \ 

Jei - 

— r  r  ^ 

R-  — — 

- 1 

f^‘=F 

^  1 

f-f-^ 

0  1 

p 

si 

WORDS  (HIDATSA) 

o' nape  matse'  ne'sits _ - you  said  there  are  no  men 


Wo'tsas - Coyote  (the  final  s  indicates  this  is  a  man’s 

name) 

matse' _ a  man 

gu'wa' _ is  he? 


Analysis. — In  the  three  renditions  of  this  song  the  rhythm  was 
steadily  maintained.  Except  for  the  accented  A,  occurring  twice,  the 
song  would  be  considered  harmonic  in  structure.  Attention  is  di¬ 
rected  to  the  fifth  and  sixth  measures,  in  which  the  rhythmic  unit 
occurs  with  an  additional  count,  and  to  the  sixth  measure  from  the 
end  of  the  song,  in  which  the  last  count  of  the  rhythmic  unit  is 
evenly  divided.  Such  variations  in  the  rhythmic  unit  give  a  certain 
“  swing  ”  to  the  song  as  a  whole.  The  song  contains  all  the  tones  of 
the  octave  except  the  sixth  and  seventh.  About  two-thirds  of  the 
progressions  are  downward,  this  being  a  proportion  frequently  noted 
in  the  Indian  songs  that  have  been  analyzed.  Cf.  Nos.  18  and  93, 
which  also  contain  the  idea  of  derision. 


Another  song  of  the  mountain  band  of  Hidatsa  is  said  to  have 
been  sung  at  one  of  their  dancing  societies.  It  is  said  there  was 


176 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


[BULL.  80 


among  them  a  woman  named  Elk  Woman,  who  had  only  earthen 
pots.  One  day  she  was  cooking  corn  mush  in  an  earthern  pot  and 
it  was  boiling  dry,  so  she  went  for  more  water.  On  the  way  she  met 
a  man  and  forgot  the  food,  which  was  entirely  spoiled.  The  fol¬ 
lowing  song  was  composed  about  this  incident. 

No.  108.  “The  Kettle  is  Burning”  (Catalogue  No.  840) 
Recorded  by  Bear-on-the-flat 


VOICE  J  r  80 

Drum  J  r  so 

Drum- rhythm  similar  to  No.  37 


Ma  -  ro  -  ka  -  wi  -  a  he  wa 


Ma'rokawi'a _  Elk  Woman 

miraTia _ the  kettle 

ara'haits _ is  burning 

indisi'dia  hakuts' _  (free  translation)  you  said,  “I  am  afraid” 


Analysis, — This  song  contains  the  tones  of  the  second  five-toned 
scale  and  is  harmonic  in  structure.  The  interval  of  a  fourth  is 
prominent  and  comprises  about  one-third  of  the  entire  number  of 
progressions.  With  the  exception  of  an  ascending  octave  the  re¬ 
maining  intervals  are  thirds.  The  rhythmic  unit  was  sung  with 
clearness  in  the  several  renditions  of  the  song  and  is  slightly  changed 
in  its  last  occurrence. 


densmoee] 


MANDAN  AND  HIDATSA  MUSIC 


177 


Bear-on-the-flat  said  that  the  words  of  this  song  were  freely 
translated  as  follows :  “  That  chief,  I  coveted  his  youngest  wife.  I 
must  meet  her  on  the  sly.”  It  was  said  that  the  chief  had  several 
wives  and  that  when  the  tribe  was  on  the  hunt  the  youngest  wife 
indulged  in  a  flirtation  with  another  man.  This  caused  the  follow¬ 
ing  song  to  be  sung. 

No.  109.  “The  Youngest  Wife  of  the  Chief” 

(Catalogue  No.  841) 


Recorded  by  Beab-on-the-flat 


Voice  J  r  76 
Drum  J  =  76 

Drum-rhythm  similar  to  No.  37 


^  ■  r  Tt 

it 

1 — 

• 

f 

\ 

- 

J-  L»J-  L i 

r  r 

t 

r  r  r 

1 

r— ■ - ■: 

— 

- 

^  ,>  1 

bJ.  r  r-  r  -iu-4 

Analysis. — This  melody  is  major  in  tonality,  yet  more  than  half 
the  intervals  are  minor  thirds.  In  some  renditions  the  words  occur 
in  the  third  appearance  of  the  rhythmic  unit,  slightly  changing  the 
note  values.  The  only  melody  tones  are  those  of  the  major  triad 
and  second.  Voice  and  drum  have  the  same  metric  unit,  the  beat  of 
the  drum  being  in  unaccented  quarter-note  values. 


One  of  the  pleasing  customs  of  village  life  was  the  singing  on  the 
roofs  of  the  lodges.  This  usually  took  place  in  the  evening  when 
many  persons  were  sitting  on  the  roofs.  Good  Bear,  who  recorded 
the  following  song,  died  in  1918,  before  the  collecting  of  the  present 
material  was  completed. 


178 


[bull.  80 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 

No.  110.  Song*  on  the  Roof  of  the  Lodge 

(Catalogue  No.  900) 


Recorded  by  Good  Bej 

Voice  J  z  56 

Drum  not  recorded 

f 'p 

lR 

- 1 

+ 

-t * 

41*  1  K  1  1 

1  1  M 

J 

-T  M»  .  ■*  ^ _ ■ 

1  •  >•  J 

_ 

r 

Ei 

1 

^  ^  • 

L_ 1_ 1  I 

1  1  1 -  L  1 

P - T 

1  ^  1 

^  t 

7.  zz:,,  .:  zz: r 

^  

^  ■ 

Analysis. — This  song  is  melodic  in  structure  and  has  a  compass  of 
12  tones.  Almost  half  the  progressions  are  whole  tones,  although 
five  progressions  of  a  semitone  occur  in  the  melody.  The  rhythmic 
unit  is  short  and  its  characteristic  count-divisions  appear  in  other 
parts  of  the  song.  The  tones  marked  +  were  slightly  sharped  in 
all  the  renditions.  Other  songs  containing  syncopations  are  noted  in 
the  analysis  of  No.  1. 

The  following  lists  comprise  the  serial  numbers  of  songs,  according 
to  their  classifications  in  the  tables  on  pages  16-26. 

Melodic  Analysis 


Table  1. — TONALITY 


Serial  numbers  of  songs 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Major  tonality . 

1,  2,  3,  5,  7,  8, 11, 13, 14,  15,  16,  17,  18,  19,  21,  24,  25,  26,  29,  30,  33, 
36,  37. 39,  41,  42,  44,  46,  47,  48,  50,  51,  53,  55,  56,  57,  58,  59,  60,  61, 
62, 68, 69, 70, 71,  73,  75,  76,  80,  81,  83,  84,  89,  90,  93,  94,  95,  96,  99, 
100,  101,  102,  103,  105,  107. 

4,  6,  9,  10,  12,  20,  22,  23,  27,  28,  31,  32,  34,  35,  38,  40,  43,45,  52,54, 
63,  64,  65,  66,  67, 72, 74, 77,  78,  79,  82,  85,  86,  87,  88,  91,  97,  98, 
104, 106, 108, 109,  no. 

49, 92  .  . 

65 

59 

Minor  tonality . 

43 

39 

Third  laolrinjT 

2 

2 

Tnt.al 

no 

DENS  more] 


MANDAK  AND  HIDATSA  MUSIC 


179 


Melodic  Analysis — Continued 


Table  2— FIRST  NOTE  OF  SONG— ITS  RELATION  TO  KEYNOTE 


Serial  numbers  of  songs 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Beginning  on  the — 

Twelfth . 

6, 14,  39, 105 . 

4 

5 

Eleventh . 

46,97 . ; . 

2 

2 

Tenth . 

7,  73 . ' . 

2 

2 

Octave . 

4,  5, 8, 9, 10, 11, 16, 20, 22, 28, 35, 36,  41,  42, 44, 47,  50,  55,  57,  58, 64, 
65,  71,  78,  80,  81,  83,  84,  86,  88,  94,  100,  108,  110. 

2, 18,  31,  54 . 

34 

21 

Seventh . 

4 

3 

Sixth . 

33,  82,  99 . 

3 

2 

Fifth . 

13,15, 17, 19, 25,  26, 32, 40, 43, 60, 61, 62,  63, 67,  72, 74, 77,  79, 87, 93, 
96, 103,  106, 109. 

91,  98 . 

24 

22 

Fourth _ 

2 

2 

Third _ 

1,  3,  21,  27,  34,  37,  48,  51,  52,  53,  59,  66,  68,  75,  76,  89,  95,  102,  107. . 
24,  30 . 

19 

17 

Second . 

2 

2 

Kevnot.e _ 

12,  23,  29,  38,  45,  49,  56,  69,  70,  85,  90,  92,  101,  104 . 

14 

12 

Total _ 

110 

Tables— LAST  NOTE  OF  SONG— ITS  RELATION  TO  KEYNOTE 


Serial  numbers  of  songs 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Ending  on  the — 

Sixth . 

34 . 

1 

1 

Fifth . 

4,  8,  9, 10,  12, 13, 15, 17,  19,  20,  24,  27,  29,  30,  32,  37,  38,  40,  41,  42, 

51 

J^7 

43,  49,  54,  57,  60,  61,  62,  63,  67,  69,  72,  74,  77,  80,82,84,85,  86, 

88,  91,  92,  93,  95,  96,  98,  101,  104,  106,  107,  109, 110. 

Third . 

3,  21,  33,  36,  51,  53,  56,  59,  66,  68,  75,  76, 79,  89,  90, 102, 103 . 

17 

15 

Keynote . 

1,  2,  5,  6,  7, 11, 14, 16, 18,  22, 23,  25,  26,  28, 31,  35, 39,  44,  45,  46,  47, 

41 

27 

48,  50,  52,  55,  58,  64,  65,  70,  71,  73,  78,  81,  83,  87,  94,  97,  99, 100, 

105,  108. 

Total . 

no 

Table!.— LAST  NOTE  OF  SONG— ITS  RELATION  TO  COMPASS  OF  SONG 


Serial  numbers  of  songs 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Songs  in  which  final  tone 
is — 

Lowest  tone  in  song .... 

2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22,  23, 

101 

92 

Immediately  preceded 
by— 

Fourth  below . 

24,  25,  26,  27,  28,  29,  31, 32, 33,  35,  37,  38,  39,  40,  41,  42,  43,  44, 

45,  46,  47,  48,  49,  50,  51,  52,  53,  54,  56,  57,  58,  59,  60,  61,  62,  63, 

64,  65,  66,  68,  69,  70,  71,  72, 73,  74,  75,  76,  77,  78,  79,  80,  81,  82, 

84,  85,  86,  87,  88,  89,  90,  91,  93,  94,  95,  96,  97,  98,  99,  100,  101, 
102,  104,  105,  106,  107,  108,  109,  110. 

34 . 

1 

1 

Semitone  below . 

30,  67 . ■ . 

2 

2 

Fourth  below  with 

55 . . . 

1 

1 

fourth  below  in 
previous  measure. 

180 


BUEEAU  OF  AMEEICAK  ETHNOLOGY 


[bull.  80 


Melodic  Analysis — Continued 

Table  4.— LAST  NOTE  OF  SONG— ITS  RELATION  TO  COMPASS  OF  SONG— Continued 


Serial  numbers  of  songs 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Songs  containing — 

Fourth  below  the  final 

83 . 

1 

1 

tone. 

Major  third  below  the 
final  tone. 

Whole  tone  below  the 

36,  103 . 

2 

2 

92 . 

1 

1 

final  tone. 

Semitone  below  the 

1 . . . . . . . . . . . 

1 

1 

final  tone. 

Total . 

110 

Table  5.— NUMBER  OF  TONES  COMPRISING  COMPASS  OF  SONG 


Serial  numbers  of  songs 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Fourteen  tones . 

59 . 

1 

1 

Thirteen  tones . 

9,  10,  36,  39,  60,  101 . 

6 

5 

Twelve  tones . 

6,  14,  17,  41,  52,  55,  57,  67,  84,  97,  105,  110 . 

12 

11 

Eleven  tones . 

4,  8,  20,  32,  33,  40,  42,  46,  54,  61,  63,  64,  65,  74,  76,  80,  86,  88,  89,  95, 

23 

21 

96,  106,  109. 

Ten  tones . 

3,  7,  21,  44,  51,  53,  58,  66,  73,  78,  79,  81,  83,  94 . 

14 

12 

Nine  tones . 1 . 

13,  50,  62,  71,  82,  91,  108 . 

7 

6 

Eight  tones . 

5,  11,  15, 16, 19, 22,  23,  28,  29, 30,  35, 37,  43,  47,  56,  68,  69,  72,  75,  77, 

27 

26 

90,  93,  98,  99,  100,  102,  107. 

Seven  tones . 

2,  12,  18,  31,  34,  38 . 

6 

5 

Six  tones . 

1,  27,  85,  103,  104 . 

5 

A 

Five  tones . 

24,  25,  26,  45,  48,  49,  70,  87,  92 . 

9 

8 

Total . 

110 

Table  6.— TONE  MATERIAL 


Serial  numbers  of  songs 

Num 

ber 

-  Per 
cent 

Second  five-toned  scale . 

9,  63,  67,  106,  109 . 

5 

4 

18 

Fourth  five-toned  scale . 

8,  13,  17,  24,  29,  33,  37,  41,  51,  53,  62,  68,  73,  76,  81,  83,  89,  94,  102, 

20 

Major  triad . 

105. 

19,  25,  26 . 

3 

3 

Major  triad  and  seventh .... 
Major  triad  and  sixth . 

61 . . 

1 

1 

11,36,  39, 103 . 

4 

3 

Major  triad  and  fourth . 

45,  46,96 . 

3 

3 

Major  triad  and  second . 

7,  42,  47,  55,  56,  58,  80,  93,  100,  107 . : . 

10 

9 

Minor  triad . 

27 . . . 

1 

1 

Minor  triad  and  seventh _ 

12,  20,  28,  32,  34,  40,  65,  79 . 

8 

7 

Minor  triad  and  sixth . 

43 . 

1 

1 

Minor  triad  and  fourth . 

6,  23,77,85,86,87 . 

6 

5 

Octave  complete . 

1,  30,  31,  54 . 

4 

3 

Octave  complete  except 

5,  21,  35,  44,  60,  75,  95,  98,  99 . 

9 

8 

seventh. 

DENS  more] 


MANDAK  AInTD  HIDATSA  MUSIC 


181 


Melodic  Analysis — Continued 

Table  6. — TONE  MATERIAL — Continued 


Serial  numbers  of  songs 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Octave  complete  except 
seventh  and  sixth. 

Octave  complete  except 
seventh  and  fourth. 

Octave  complete  except 
seventh, third,  and  second. 

Octave  complete  except 
seventh  and  second. 

Octave  complete  except 
sixth. 

Octave  complete  except 
sixth  and  fourth. 

Octave  complete  except 
sixth  and  second. 

Octave  complete  except 
fourth. 

Octave  complete  except 
fourth  and  second. 

Octave  complete  except 
second. 

First,  second,  and  fifthtones. 

15,  22,  48,  69,  70,  71,  72,  84,  108 . 

9 

8 

88 . 

1 

1 

92 . 

1 

1 

16,  91 . 

2 

2 

10,  14,  50,  64 . 

4 

S 

104 . 

1 

1 

66,  74,  101 . 

3 

S 

2,  3,  57,  78,  90,  no . 

6 

5 

18,  59,  82 . 

3 

S 

4,  38,  52,  97 . 

4 

s 

49 . 

1 

1 

Total . 

no 

Table  7.— ACCIDENTALS 


Serial  numbers  of  songs 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Songs  containing — 

No  accidentals . 

2,  5,  6,  7,  9, 10, 11,  13, 14, 15, 16,  17,  18,  19,  20,  22,  23,  24,  25,  26,  27, 

89 

88 

28,  29,  31,  32,  33,  35,  36,  37,  38,  39,  41,  42,  43,  44,  45,  46,  47,  49, 
51,  52,  53,  54,  55,  56,  57,  58,  59,  60,  61,  62,  63,  68,  70,  71,  72,  73, 
74,  75,  76,  77,  78,  83,  84,  85,  87,  88,  89,  90,  91,  92,  93,  94,  95,  96, 
97,  98,  99,  100,  101,  102,  103,  104,  105,  106,  107,  108,  109,  110. 

Seventh  raised  a  semi- 

12,  34,  40,  65,  79,  80 . 

6 

6 

tone. 

Sixth  raised  a  semitone . 

4 . 

1 

1 

Fourth  raised  a  semi- 

21,  30,  48,  64,  69 . 

5 

4 

tone. 

Third  raised  a  semitone . 

86 . 

1 

1 

Second  raised  a  semi- 

81,  82 . 

2 

2 

tone. 

Seventh  and  fourth 

66,  67 . 

2 

2 

raised  a  semitone. 

Seventh  lowered  a  semi- 

1,  3,  50 . 

3 

S 

tone. 

Sixth  lowered  a  semi- 

8 . 

1 

i 

tone. 

Total . 

no 

182 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


[bull.  80 


Melodic  Analysis — Continued 


Table  8.— STRUCTURE 


Serial  numbers  of  songs 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Mplodif* _ 

1, 10, 18, 29, 30, 31, 35, 36, 38, 45, 46, 51, 55, 57, 68, 72, 75, 82, 84, 85, 
88,  89,  92,  93,  96,  97,  98,  99,  102, 104,  110. 

31 

28 

Melodic  with 

harmonic 

2, 3,  5,  8,  9, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17,  21,  22,  23,  24,  28, 33, 41, 42, 43, 44, 47, 

44 

40 

framework. 

48, 49, 50, 54, 62, 64, 66, 69, 70,  71, 73, 74,  76, 79, 80, 83, 86, 90, 94, 
103,  105,  107,  108. 

Harmonic . 

4,  6,  7,  14, 15, 19,  20,  25,  26,  27,  32,  34,  37,  39,  40,  52,  53,  56,  58,  59, 
60,  61,  63,  65,  67,  77,  78,  81,  87,  91,  95,  100,  101,  106,  109. 

35 

S2 

Total _ 

110 

Table  9.— FIRST  PROGRESSION— DOWNWARD  AND  UPWARD 


Serial  numbers  of  songs 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Downward . 

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6,  7,  8, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20,  22, 24,  25,  26, 27,28, 31, 
33, 34, 35, 36, 39, 42, 43, 46, 47, 48, 60, 64, 65, 66,  68,  72, 73,  75,  77, 
79,  80,  82,  86,  87,  88,  92, 93, 100, 101, 102, 103, 107,  108. 

9, 10, 12, 17, 21, 23, 29, 30, 32, 37, 38, 40, 41, 44, 45, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53,54, 
55,56,57,58,59,61,62,63,67,69,70,71,  74,76,  78,  81,  83,  84,  85, 
89,  90,  91,  94,  95, 96,  97,  98,  99, 104,  105, 106, 109, 110. 

56 

51 

Upward . 

54 

49 

Total . 

no 

Table  10.— TOTAL  NUMBER  OF  PROGRESSIONS— DOWNWARD  AND  UPWARD 


Downward. 
Upward . . . . 

Total 


Table  11.— INTERVALS  IN  DOWNWARD  PROGRESSION 


1,733 

1,038 


2,771 


Intervals  of  a — 

Intervals  of  a — 

Minor  sixth . 

5 

Augmented  second . 

Fifth . 

10 

Major  second . j . 

Fourth . 

239 

Minor  second . 

Major  third . 

206 

Minor  third . 

567 

Total . 

Table  12.— INTERVALS  IN  UPWARD  PROGRESSION 


Intervals  of  a — 

Intervals  of  a — 

Tenth . 

3 

Major  third . 

123 

Octave . 

14 

Minor  third . 

281 

Seventh . 

2 

Major  second . 

256 

Major  sixth . 

14 

Minor  second . 

42 

Afi'nnr  Qixth 

20 

Fifth . 

50 

Total . 

1,038 

Fom'th . 

233 

DENS  more] 


MANDAN  AND  HIDATSA  MUSIC 


183 


Melodic  Analysis — Continued 

Table  13.— AVERAGE  NUMBER  OF  SEMITONES  IN  AN  INTERVAL 


2,771 

9,080 

3 


Total  number  of  intervals . 

Total  number  of  semitones . 

Average  number  of  semitones  in  an  interval 


Rhythmic  Analysis 

Table  14.— PART  OF  MEASURE  ON  WHICH  SONG  BEGINS 


Serial  numbers  of  songs 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Beginning  on  unaccented 

5,  9, 12, 15, 16, 17, 23,  24, 27, 30, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 40, 44, 46, 

47 

part  of  measure. 

48,  49,  50,  52,  53,  54,  55,  60,  61,  65,  66,  67,  68,  75,  77,  81,  83,  84, 
87,  88,  90,  94,  95,  96,  104, 106,  108. 

Beginning  on  accented  part 

1,  2,  3,  4,  6,  7,  8,  10, 11, 13, 14, 18, 19,  20,  21,  22,  25,  26,  28,  29,  31, 

63 

57 

of  measure. 

39,  41,  42,  43,  45,  47,  51,  56,  57,  58,  59,  62,  63,  64,  69,  70,  71,  72, 
73  ,  74,  76,  78,  79,  80,  82,  85,  86,  89,  91,  92,  93,  97,  98,  99,  100, 
101,  102, 103,  105,  107,  109, 110. 

Total . 

110 

Table  15.— RHYTHM  (METER)  OF  FIRST  MEASURE 


Serial  numbers  of  songs 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

First  measure  in — 

2-4  time . 

2,  5,  7, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18,  21,  22, 30, 31,  34, 35,  38,  40,  41, 

61 

56 

45,  46,  48,  49,  51,  52,  55,  58,  59,  60,  61,  62,  63,  64,  68,  72,  73,  74, 

76,  77,  78,  81,  82,  83  ,  85,  86,  87,  90,  91,  92,  93,  95,  96,  98,  99, 
100,  101,  103,  104,  107,  109. 

3-4  time . 

1,  3,  4,  6,  8,  9,  13,  19,  20,  23,  25,  26,  27,  28,  29,  32,  33,  36,  37,  39, 
42,  43,  47,  50,  53,  54,  56,  57,  65,  66,  67,  69,  70,  71,  75,  79,  80,  84, 

47 

45 

88,  89,  94,  97, 102, 105,  106, 108, 110. 

5-8  time . 

44 . 

I 

1 

7-8  time . 

24 . 

1 

1 

Total . 

110 

Table  16.— CHANGE  OF  TIME  (MEASURE-LENGTHS) 


Serial  numbers  of  songs 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Songs  containing  no  change 

3,  5,  11,  17,  35,  36,  41,  44,  49,  50,  57,  62,  87,  88,  95,  98,  99,  101, 

20 

18 

of  time. 

104,  106. 

Songs  containing  a  change 

1,  2,  4,  6,  7,  8,  9,  10,  12,  13,  14,  15,  16,18,  19,  20,  21,  22,  23,  24,  25, 

90 

82 

of  time. 

26,  27,  28,  29,  30,  31,  32,  33,  34,  37,  38,  39,  40,  42,  43,  45,  46, 

47,  48,  51,  52,  53,  54,  55,  56,  58,  59,  60,  61,  63,  64,  65,  66,  67, 

68,  69  ,  70,  71,  72,  73  ,  74,  75,  76,  77  ,  78,  79,  80,  81,  82,  83  ,  84, 

85,  86,  89,  90,  91,  92,  93,  94,  96,  97,  100,  102,  103,  105,  107,  108, 

109,  110. 

Total . 

no 

184 


BUEEAtr  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


[bull.  80 


Khythmic  Analysis — Continued 

Table  17.— RHYTHMIC  UNIT  OF  SONG 


Serial  numbers  of  songs 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Songs  containing — 

No  rhythmic  unit . 

4,  6,  8,  12, 14,  15, 16,  18,  22,  34,  35,  37,  51,  52,  59,  74,  78,  79,  81, 
83,  84,  85,  87,  88,  89,  95,  96,  98,  99,  100,  103,  104,  105. 

33 

SO 

One  rhythmic  unit . 

1,  2,  3,  5,  7,  9,  10,  11,  13,  17,  19,  20,  21,  24,  25,  26,  27,  28,  30,  31, 

66 

60 

32, 33, 36,  38,  40,  41,  42,  44,  45, 47,  48,  49, 50,  53,  54,  55,  56, 58,  60, 
61,  62,63,  65,  66,  67,69,72, 73, 75,  76,  77,  80,  82,  86,  91,  92,  93,  94, 
97, 101, 102,  106,  107,  108, 109, 110. 

Two  rhythmic  units .... 
Three  rhythmic  units.. . 

23,  29,  39,  43,  46,  57,  64,  70,  90 . 

9 

8 

68,  71 . 

2 

2 

Total . 

110 

Table  18.— RHYTHM  OF  DRUM 


Serial  numbers  of  songs 

Num¬ 

ber 

Per 

cent 

Sixteenth  notes  unaccented. 

2 . 

1 

1 

Eighth  notes  unaccented .... 
Quarter  notes  unaccented. . . 
Half  notes  unaccented . 

32,  44,  51,  65,  66,  67,  79,  83,  86,  88,  91,  102,  106 . 

13 

11 

37,  39,40,41,42,  43,  47,48,  49,55,  68,69,70,75,92,93,  107,108,109. 
5 . 

19 

1 

17 

1 

Eighth  notes  accented  in 
groups  of  two. 

Each  beat  preceded  by  an 
unaccented  beat  corre¬ 
sponding  to  the  third 
count  of  triplet. 

Two  drumbeats  in  triple 

measure. 

Drum  not  recorded . 

31,  71 . . 

2 

2 

50,  58,  59,  60,  76,  90, 101 . 

7 

e 

3 . 

1 

t 

1,  4,  6,  7,  8,  9,  10,  11,  12,  13,  14,  15,  16,  17,  18,  19,  20,  21,  22,  23, 

66 

60 

24,  25,  26,  27,  28,  29,  30,  33,  34,  35,  36,  38,  45,  46,  52,  53  ,  54, 
56,57,61,  62,  63  ,  64,  72,  73  ,  74,  77,  78,  80,  81,  82,  84,85,87,  89, 
94,  95,  96,  97,  98,  99,  100, 103, 104,  105,  110. 

Total . 

110 

AUTHORITIES  CITED 


Boller,  Henry  A.  Among  the  Indians.  Eight  years  in  the  Far  West:  1858- 
1866.  Phila.,  1868. 

Bradbury,  John.  Travels  in  the  interior  of  America.  Thwaites,  Early  West¬ 
ern  Travels,  vol.  v.  Cleveland,  1904. 

Catlin,  George  C.  Manners,  customs,  and  condition  of  the  North  American 
Indians.  Vols.  i-ii.  London,  1841. 

-  0-kee-pa ;  a  religious  ceremony.  London,  1867. 

Curtis,  Edward  S.  The  North  American  Indian.  Vol.  iv.  Cambridge,  1909. 

Densmore,  Frances.  Chippewa  music.  Bur.  Amer.  Ethn.,  Bull.  45.  Wash¬ 
ington,  1910. 

-  Chippewa  music — II.  Ibid.,  Bull.  53,  1913. 

-  Teton  Sioux  music.  Ibid.,  Bull.  61,  1918. 

-  Northern  Ute  music.  Ibid.,  Bull.  75,  1922. 

Fletcher,  Alice  C.,  and  La  Flesche,  Francis.  The  Omaha  tribe.  Twenty- 
seventh  Ann.  Kept.  Bur.  Amer.  Ethn.,  Washington,  1911. 

Fox  Strangways,  A.  H;  The  music  of  Hindostan.  Oxford,  1914. 

Grinnell,  George  Bird.  Blackfoot  lodge  tales.  New  York,  1892. 

Helmholtz,  Hermann  L.  F.  On  the  sensations  of  tone  as  a  physiological  basis 
for  the  theory  of  music.  2d  English  ed.  Trans,  by  Alexander  J.  Ellis. 
London,  1885. 

Kappler,  Charles  J.,  ed.  Indian  Affairs.  Laws  and  Treaties.  Vol.  i  (Laws). 
Vol.  II  (Treaties).  Washington,  1903. 

Kroeber,  a.  L.  Gros  Ventre  myths  and  tales.  Anthrop.  Papers  Amer.  Mus. 
Nat.  Hist.,  vol.  i,  pt.  3.  New  York,  1908. 

La  Verendrye  [Gaultier  Varennes].  Journal  of  La  Verendrye,  1738-39.  (Re¬ 
port  on  Canadian  Archives,  1889,  pp.  3-29,  Ottawa,  1890. ) 

Lowie,  Robert  H.  Societies  of  the  Hidatsa  and  Mandan  Indians.  Anthrop. 
Papers  Am.  Mus.  Nat.  Hist.,  vol.  xi,  pt.  3,  pp.  219-358.  New  York,  1916. 

-  Notes  on  the  social  organization  and  customs  of  the  Mandan,  Hidatsa, 

and  Crow  Indians.  Ibid.,  vol.  xxi,  pt.  1,  pp.  1-99.  New  York,  1917. 

Matthews,  Washington.  Ethnography  and  philology  of  the  Hidatsa  Indians. 
U.  S.  Geol.  and  Geog.  Surv.,  Misc.  Pubs.,  no.  7.  Washington,  1877. 

Maximilian  [Alexander  Philip].  Prince  of  Wied.  Travels  in  the  interior  of 
North  America.  Parts  i-iii.  Thwaites,  Early  Western  Travels,  vols.  xxii, 
XXIII,  XXIV.  Cleveland,  1906. 

Pepper,  George  H.,  and  Wilson,  Gilbert  L.  An  Hidatsa  shrine  and  the  beliefs 
respecting  it.  Mem.  Am.  Anthrop.  Asso.,  vol.  ii,  pt.  4,  pp.  275-328.  Lan¬ 
caster,  Pa.,  1908. 

Royce,  Charles  C.  Indian  land  cessions  in  the  United  States.  Introduction 
by  Cyrus  Thomas.  Eighteenth  Ann.  Rept.  Bur.  Amer.  Ethn.,  pt.  2.  Wash¬ 
ington,  1899. 

U.  S.  Department  of  the  Interior.  Report  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Interior. 
Washington,  1864.  (H.  R.  Ex.  Docs.  no.  1,  38th  Cong.,  2d  sess.,  1864-65. 

Washington,  1865.) 


185 


186 


BUREAU  OF  AMERICAN  ETHNOLOGY 


[bull.  80 


U.  S.  Department  of  the  Interior.  Report  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Interior. 
Part  II,  Indian  Affairs.  Washington,  1867.  (H.  R.  Ex.  Docs.,  vol.  iii,  no.  1, 

40th  Cong.,  2d  sess.,  1867-68.  Washington,  1868.) 

- Report  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Interior.  Vol.,  i.  Washington,  1872. 

(H.  R.  Ex.  Docs.,  no.  1,  pt.  5,  42d  Cong.,  3d  sess.,  1872-73.  Washington, 
1873.) 

-  Report  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Interior.  Vol.  i.  Washington,  1875. 

(H.  R.  Ex.  Docs.,  no.  1,  pt.  5,  44th  Cong.,  1st  sess.,  1874-75.  Washington, 
1875.) 

-  Report  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Interior.  Vol.  i.  Washington,  1877. 

(H.  R.  Ex.  Docs.,  no.  1,  pt.  5,  45th  Cong.,  2d  sess.,  1877-78.  Washington, 
1878.) 

-  Report  of  the  Commissioner  of  Indian  Affairs,  1917-18.  Washington, 

1918. 

Will,  George  F.,  and  Hyde,  George  E.  Corn  among  the  Indians  of  the  Upper 
Missouri.  St.  Louis,  1917. 

Will,  G.  P.,  and  Spinden,  H.  J.  The  Mandans.  A  study  of  their  culture, 
archaeology,  and  language.  Papers  Peabody  Mus.,  vol.  iii,  no.  4.  Cambridge, 
1906. 

Wilson,  Gilrert  L.  Agriculture  of  the  Hidatsa  Indians.  Univ.  Minn.,  Studies 
in  Soc.  Sci.,  no.  9.  Minneapolis,  1917. 


INDEX 


Page. 

Accidentals,  table  showing .  20-21, 28, 181 

Agkiculture .  3, 4, 11-12, 13, 52, 53 

See  Corn. 

Alden,  E.  H.,  report  by .  13 

Amashi,  Crow  name  for  the  Hidatsa .  2 

Analyses,  summary  of .  31,33 

Analysis  of  songs .  15 

tabulated .  16-26 

Animals,  songs  received  from .  32, 41, 

69, 70,  71, 72,  73, 86, 88, 89, 90, 98 
ARICARA.  )SeeARIKARA. 

Arikara — 

early  home  of. .  4 

singing  of .  7 

“Ark”  OFTHE  Mandan .  5 

Bad  Ear,  an  Hidatsa  society .  108 

Bait,  song  when  preparing .  77 

Ball,  game  of,  played  by  women .  81 

Bear,  song  of .  104 

Bear-on-the-flat — 

an  informant . 97, 110-111 

legends  related  by .  84 

songs  recorded  by .  130, 141, 142, 

150, 151, 164, 175, 176, 177 

Benson,  Ben— 

a  singer .  1 

information  furnished  by .  61 

legend  related  by .  80 

narrative  given  by .  64 

songs  recorded  by .  13, 127, 128, 143, 144 

Blackbirds,  song  connected  with .  54 

Black  Mouth  Society— 

a  Mandan  society .  108 

age  of  m  em  bers  of .  112 

an  Hidatsa  society. .  108 

duty  of .  47 

functions  of .  35 

insigna  of .  47 

meeting  of . 48-49 

origin  of  name .  47 

rattle  used  by .  8 

society  of  warriors . 47 

songs  of . 49-52 

Black  Tongue,  a  medicine  man . . . .  38, 59 

songs  learned  from . 57 

Black  Wolf,  story  of .  64-69 

Boy’s  societies,  admission  to .  110 

Brush  shelter,  song  when  making .  74 

Buffalo,  song  of .  70 

Buffalo  dances,  ceremonial  purpose  of . . . .  36 

Buffalo  Paunch,  an  Hidatsa  Indian .  63 

Buffalo  skull,  offerings  to  the  spirit  of . . . .  65 


Page. 

Buffalo  Society — 

a  Mandan  age  society .  108 

age  of  m  embers  of .  112 

an  Hidatsa  society .  108 

headdress  of .  8, 112 

legend  of  origin  of .  84 

meetings  of .  112 

number  of  members  of .  85 

purpose  of .  112 

songs  of .  33,138-142 

war  pipe  of .  9 

Bull  boats,  place  for  storing .  5 

Bull  Medicine,  a  ceremony .  36 

Burial  customs .  5, 6, 122 

Butterfly — 

an  Hidatsa  singer .  2 

death  of .  147 

origin  pf  name  of .  147 

songs  recorded  by .  59, 148, 156, 174 

war  song  of .  156 

Calumets,  used  in  peace  negotiations .  48 

Captive,  song  of .  42 

Carlin,  Gen.,  treaty  due  to  efforts  of .  12 

Ceremonies — 

of  Buffalo  dance .  36 

of  Bull  Medicine .  36 

of  Little  River  Women  Society . 99-107 

of  purifying  the  corn .  37 

of  the  Goose  Women .  40 

Children — 

game  played  by .  171 

songs  to .  170-172 

Chippewa,  story  recorded  among .  89 

Chippewa  songs,  analysis  of .  16-26 

Chum,  Mandan  word  for .  53, 100 

Clan  brother,  torture  inflicted  by .  63 

Clan  father — 

part  taken  by,  in  Young  Dog  Society...  110, 

111,  113,  114,  116,  122 

torture  inflicted  by .  63 

Coarse  Hair  Society — 

headdress  of .  110 

last  of  Mandan  societies .  108 

Communal  house .  2, 5 

Compass  of  song — 

number  of  tones  comprising . 18,  27,  80 

relation  of  last  note  to .  17, 27, 179-180 

Corn — 

arrangement  in  growing .  52 

ceremony  of  purifying .  37 

guarded  by  the  women .  53 

importance  of .  36 


187 


188 


INDEX 


Corn— Continued.  Page. 

means  of  securing  a  crop .  38,  40 

mention  of .  80,  81,  91, 176 

scaffold  for  drying .  2,  4 

song  concerning .  54 

song  to .  59 

Corn  ball's,  method  of  making .  67 

Corn  customs,  songs  connected  with . , .  12 

Corn  Priest — 

duties  of .  37 

office  of .  36-38 

record  of .  1 

song  of. .  45 

Council  house  of  Old  Dog .  2 

Coup,  custom  of  counting .  145,  167 

Courting  whistles,  types  of .  9 

Coyote,  song  of .  72, 160 

Coyote  and  skunk,  story  of .  92 

Crazy  Dog — 

an  Hidatsa  society .  108 

meaning  of  the  term .  109 

purpose  of  the  society . . .  110 

See  Foolish  Dog. 

Crow  or  Raven  Society,  age  of  members. .  9 

Crow’s  He  ART- 

home  of,  a  communal  center .  2 

prominence  of .  1 

songs  recorded  by .  153,  157,  167,  168,  173 

story  related  by .  92 

Crow’s  Heart’s  Ferry,  origin  of  the  name  2 

Crow’s  Heart’s  Landing,  songs  recorded  at  13 

Custer,  Gen.  G.  A.,  treaty  due  to  efforts  of. .  12 

Customs — 

eagle  catching .  60 

singing  in  the  gardens .  52 

singing  on  the  roof .  177 

songs  connected  with .  12, 52-80 

Dances — 

buffalo,  object  of .  36 

of  the  Little  River  Women .  100 

song  concerning .  51 

Dancing  Bull,  an  Hidatsa  Indian .  63 

Dancing  SONG .  106 

of  Buffalo  Society .  141 

Deapolis,  a  Mandan  village .  99 

Deer,  song  of .  88 

Derision,  expressed  in  songs .  60, 161-162, 175 

De  Smet,  P.  J.,  visit  of,  to  Fort  Berthold. . .  11 

Dog  Society— 

rattle  of .  9 

songs  of .  33, 133-138 

war  pipe  of . 9 

See  Foolish  Dog;  Young  Dog. 

Double  whistle  or  war  pipe .  9 

Dreams,  belief  in .  148 

Driver,  James — 

an  Hidatsa  singer .  2 

song  recorded  by .  132 

Drumbeat,  variations  of,  among  tribes .  31 

Drumming  STICK,  described .  41 

Drums .  8 

of  Goose  Women  Society .  40 

rhythm  of .  30 

used  in  societies .  112 


Dwellings.  See  Communal  house;  Earth 
lodge;  Lodges. 


Eagle—  Page. 

black,  song  of .  71 

burial  of  body  of .  60, 64 

offerings  to  spirit  of .  64 

Eagle  catching — 

oamp  for .  61 

description  of .  60 

songs  concerning .  13,32 

story  of  origin  of .  64-69 

tribes  practicing .  60 

Eagle  Nose  Peak,  myth  concerning .  97 

Eagle  trap — 

description  of .  62 

making  of .  61 

song  when  making .  76 

Earth,  song  concerning .  50 

Earth  lodge — 

of  old  type .  2 

of  the  Mandan .  4-5 

Eaton,  Harry— 

member  of  Fox  Society .  109 

song  recorded  by .  169 

Elbowoods,  songs  recorded  at .  13 

Elk  dream,  song  of .  173 

Elk  whistle — 

length  of .  10 

origin  of .  9 

Elk  Woman,  story  of .  175-176 

Enemies,  song  concerning .  50 

Enemy  Society .  95-96 

song  of .  96 

Environment,  songs  not  affected  by .  31 

Ethical  teachings,  absent  from  present 

work .  13 

Feast,  for  the  Goose  Women .  40 

Fetish,  eagle  catcher’s .  61 

First  Man,  post  representing .  72 

Five-toned  scales .  28 

Flageolet— 

called  ‘ '  singing  whistle ,  ’  ’  descri  bed .  11 

legend  concerning .  80-84 

Flying  Eagle,  song  of .  150, 151 

Foolish  Dog — 

a  Mandan  society .  108 

age  of  members  of .  9 

rattle  used  by .  8 

songs  of .  129-132 

See  Crazy  Dog. 

Foolish  Soldier,  personal  song  of .  162-163 

Fort  Berthold,  village  at .  1, 4, 5, 72, 158 

Fort  Berthold  Reservation — 

boundaries  of .  11 

songs  recorded  on .  v 

Fort  Clark,  Mandan  village  at .  99 

Fox  Society— 

a  Mandan  society .  108 

an  Hidatsa  society .  108 

derivation  of  the  name .  109 

headdress  of .  109 

songs  of .  33, 121-128, 165 

war  song  of .  165 

Funeral  song.  Fox  Society .  123 

Games .  81,171 

Garden  songs,  a  distinct  type .  32 

Gardens — 

care  of .  53 

reference  to .  5 

singing  in . 32,52 


INDEX 


189 


Page. 

Gifts  to  Young  Dog  Society .  Ill 

Gilmore,  Melvin  R., acknowledgment  to..  8,63 

Glaze  on  stone,  method  of  securing .  115 

Glissando,  use  of .  14, 31, 80 

Good  Bear — 

an  Hidatsa  singer .  2 

death  of .  177 

information  furnished  by .  109 

member  of  the  Fox  Society .  109 

songs  recorded  by .  121, 178 

Good  Fur  Robe — 

a  mythical  chief .  7, 35 

instructions  of . 37,38 

origin  of  the  name .  35 

societies  organized  by .  38, 39, 47 

Goose,  song  of .  78 

Goose  Women  Society— 

autumn  feast  of .  40 

ceremony  and  meeting  of .  40-47 

drum  used  by .  8 

functions  of .  35, 39 

men  singing  with .  40 

origin  of .  39 

singing  of,  with  Corn  Priest .  38 

Government,  U.  S.,  dealings  of,  with  Man- 

dan  and  Hidatsa .  11 

Gros  Ventres,  name  for  the  Hidatsa . 4, 7, 11 

Grouse  Men,  a  Mandan  band .  3 

Habitations.  See  Dwellings. 

Half-shaved-heads,  an  Hidatsa  society _  108 

mark  of  membership  in .  110 

Hall,  Dr.  C.  L. — 

acknowledgment  to .  v 

Mandan  translation  by .  6 

Hall,  R.  D.,  Mandan  translation  by .  6 

Hawley,  E.  H.,  whistle  played  by .  10 

Head  Rattle,  a  mythic  chief .  35 

Headdress — 

of  Buffalo  Society .  85, 112 

of  Coarse  Hair  Society .  110 

of  Enemy  Society .  96 

of  Little  River  Women  Society .  98, 99, 100 

of  Stone  Hammer  Society... .  114 

Heart  River,  Mandan  on .  4 

Hidatsa  tribe— 

dweUings  of .  5 

history  of .  4 

less  distinctive  than  Mandan .  13 

origin  of  name  of .  3 

Hindostan,  reference  to  music  of . . .  14, 26 

Hoffman,  C.,  an  interpreter .  97 

Holding  Eagle,  James— 

acknowledgment  to .  v 

an  Hidatsa  singer .  2 

an  interpreter .  97 

information  furnished  by .  123, 133 

member  of  Fox  Society .  109 

songs  recorded  by .  124, 

134, 135, 136, 138, 139, 140, 155, 165 
“  Holy,”  analysis  of  Mandan  equivalent  for. .  36 

Horse  Society — 

a  Mandan  age  society .  108 

songs  of .  33, 143-144 

Huber,  Fred — 

acknowledgment  to .  v 

death  of .  xvni 

2118°— 23 - 14 


Page. 


Huber,  Fred— Continued 

interpreter .  xvii,  61 

legend  related  by . 72-73 

Hunkpapa  Sioux,  as  enemy .  151 

India,  pecuharity  in  music  of .  14 

Informants . xviii-xix 

Intended-to-be-a-dog,  an  Hidatsa  society. .  108 

Intervals— 

in  downward  progression,  tables  show¬ 
ing .  23,29,182 

in  upward  progression,  tables  show¬ 
ing . : .  23,29,182 

Iron  Eyes,  fetish  inherited  from .  61 

Keynote— 

relation  of  first  note  to .  16, 179 

relation  of  last  note  to .  17, 179 

Knife  River,  tribes  on . . .  4, 158 

Kroeber,  a.  L.,  legend  recorded  by .  80 

Lances,  of  the  Fox  Society .  109 

Language,  Hidatsa— 

preferred  for  songs .  12 

pubhcations  in .  6 

reference  to . 61,97 

Language,  Mandan — 

in  songs .  12,67 

material  collected  in .  97 

name  for  themselves .  3 

practically  unwritten .  x vii 

present  use  of .  1 

pubhcations  in .  6 

references  to . 61,98 

Leading  One,  songs  recorded  by .  158, 

159, 160, 161, 163 

Legend— 

of  captive  song .  41 

of  contest  between  Old  Man  Coyote  and 

Cedar  Post .  72 

of  origin  of  Buffalo  Society .  84 

of  origin  of  flageolet . 80-84 

of  the  black-tailed  deer . 87-88 

of  the  Mandan .  7 

of  the  moon  and  the  dancers .  86-87 

Libby,  Dr.  O.  J.,  suggestion  by .  v 

Little  Crow — 

a  singer .  1 

death  of .  1,56 

mention  of .  112, 138 

songs  recorded  by . 51,131,142 

Little  River  Women  Society— 

age  of  members .  97 

ceremony  of . 99-100 

origin  of .  97 

songs  of .  12, 101-107 

Lodges— 

of  head  drummer .  112 

use  of  tops  of . 5, 126, 177 

used  by  men  in  eagle  camp .  65 

See  Earth  lodge. 

Loneliness,  songs  expressing .  53, 55, 56, 57 

Love  song.  Fox  Society .  126 

LowiE,  R.  H. — 

song  recorded  by .  96 

tradition  related  to .  47 

Lumpwood  Society — 

an  Hidatsa  age  society .  108 

derivation  of  the  name .  108 


190 


INDEX 


Page. 

Man  who  married  the  birds,  story  of . 90-91 

Hand AN — 

almost  extinct .  13 

appearance  of .  3 

liistory  of . 3 

origin  of  name .  3 

village  of,  described .  4-5 

Mandan,  N.  Dak.,  mention  of .  97 

Map  of  the  earth,  ceremonial .  37 

destruction  of .  38 

Measure— 

first,  rhythm  of .  24, 29, 183 

part  of,  on  which  song  begins .  24,29, 183 

unaccented  part  of,  as  ending  of  song ....  5 

Medicine  men,  as  rain-makers . 37-38 

Medicine  songs .  149,150,173 

Melody,  ''plots”  showing  trend  of .  34 

Men’s  societies . 108-144 

purpose  of . 47,110,112,113,114 

war  pipes  of .  9 

Minatarees,  early  name  of  the  Hidatsa .  4,7 

Minitari,  Mandan  name  for  the  Hidatsa .  2 

Mint,  medicinal  use  of .  13 

Missouri  Women,  song  of .  103 

Moon — 

song  of .  87 

symbol  in  decoration .  115 

Mortuary  customs.  See  Burials. 

Mother  Corn,  mention  of .  41 

Moves  Slowly— 

burrung  of  lodge  of .  38 

Corn  Priest  of  the  Mandan .  1 

father  of  Scattered  Corn .  1 

rattle  owned  by .  62 

right  of,  to  certain  songs .  37 

story  related  by .  7 

Mushroom  rattles— 

ceremonial  use  of .  9,62 

loaned  by  North  Dakota  Historical  So¬ 
ciety .  8 

owned  by  Ben  Benson .  61 

Music — 

early  comments  on .  7-8 

not  used  in  treatment  of  sick .  12 

of  India,  peculiarity  of .  14 

Musical  instruments . xx,8-ll 

See  Drum;  Flageolet;  Mushroom  rat¬ 
tles;  Rattles;  Whistles. 

Mythology  of  the  Mandan .  6-7 

Names,  proper .  xix 

Necklace  of  bear  claws,  ceremonial  use 

of . 99,100 

North  Dakota  Historical  Society— 

acknowledgment  to .  v 

drum  owned  by .  40 

rattle  owned  by . 8,62-63 

work  under  auspices  of .  13 

Notation . xvi,  26 

Notched  Stick  Society .  108 

Okeepa,  mention  of .  36 

Old  Dog — 

an  Hidatsa  singer .  2 

home  of,  described .  2 

member  of  the  Fox  Society .  109 

songs  recorded  by .  123, 146, 149, 170 

Old  Wolverine— 

in  charge  of  eagle  camp .  61 

rattles  used  by . 62 


Page. 

"  Old  woman,”  origin  of  the  term .  72 

Old-woman-who-never-dies — 

ceremony  in  honor  of .  40 

legends  concerning .  7 

site  of  home  of .  80 

song  connected  with .  41 

One  Buffalo,  song  belonging  to .  148 

Origin  myth .  6-7,35,72-73 

Otter  Woman — 

reference  to .  38 

songs  recorded  by .  54, 56, 57, 58, 59, 131 

OuAcmpouANNE,  former  name  of  the  Man¬ 
dan .  3 

Packine  AU,  Mr.,  information  furnished  by . .  114 

Paint,  Indian,  enduring  quality  of .  62 

Pan — 

an  Hidatsa  singer .  2 

melody  played  by .  10 

songs  recorded  by .  117-120 

wand  made  by .  115 

Peppermint,  wild,  ceremonial  cleansing 

with . , _  100 

Phonetic  key .  xvn 

Pipe,  ceremonial— 

destruction  of .  38 

made  of  wood .  38 

mention  of .  37 

origin  of . 38-39 

used  in  peace  negotiations .  48 

Pipestone,  red,  use  of .  38 

"Plots”  of  songs .  34-35, 141, 159 

used  for  comparison  only .  15 

Population  of  the  Mandan .  12 

Pottery  of  the  Mandan .  5 

Prairie-hen  People,  a  Mandan  band .  3 

"Praise”  SONGS .  156-157 

Priest.  See  Corn  Priest. 

Progression,  first,  tables  showing .  22, 29, 182 

Progressions,  table  showing  total  number 

of .  22,29,182 

Rain,  securing .  37, 38, 59, 149 

Rat,  outline  of,  as  body  decoration .  113 

Rattles — 

of  the  societies . 48, 112 

types  of .  8-9 

Raven— 

skin  of,  as  insignia .  47 

song  to  the .  49 

Raven  Society.  See  Crow  Society. 

Rawhide  Loop.,  a  mythical  chief .  35 

Rest— 

in  Mandan  music .  14 

use  of,  among  the  tribes .  31 

Rhythm  (meter) — 

of  drum  and  rattle .  25-26, 30, 184 

of  first  measure,  tables  showing . 24, 29, 183 

Rhythmic  unit — 

defined . 25,30 

in  analysis . 32,33 

tables  showing .  25, 30, 184 

Running  Rabbit,  mention  of .  62 

Sacred  songs  of  the  Goose  Women . 44, 45 

Sage,  ceremonial  use  of .  6, 40, 46, 47, 67 

Scaffold  burial . •.  5, 6, 122 

Scalp  dance  song,  woman’s .  155 

1  Scalping,  customs  concerning .  145 


INDEX 


191 


Scalps—  Page. 

carried  in  victory  dances .  159 

displayed  on  lodges .  5 

SCATTEBED  COEN — 

material  furnished  by .  1 

member  of  Little  River  W  omen  Society  .  97 

songs  recorded  by .  44-46, 

42, 55, 93, 95, 96, 100-106, 158-161, 163 

story  related  by .  7, 92 

Scout  songs .  152-154 

Seed,  distribution  of,  by  Corn  Priest .  37 

Semitones,  tables  showing  average  number 

of,  in  an  interval .  24, 29, 183 

Serenades — 

of  Buffalo  Society .  142 

of  Dog  Society .  135, 136 

of  Foolish  Dog  Society .  129-132 

of  Fox  Society..*. .  125 

of  Stone  Hammer  Society . 116, 117, 118 

of  Y oung  Dog  Society .  129 

singing  of .  112 

Shell,  polished— 

ceremonial  use  of . 99, 100 

song  of . 100,105 

Sick,  music  not  used  in  treatment  of .  12 

Signs  used .  xvi 

Singers— 

age  of .  1 

characterization  of .  1-2 

Hidatsa .  2 

Mandan .  1-2 

names  of . xvn-xvm 

Singing,  on  the  house  tops .  5 

Sioux— 

kilUngof .  158,163-164 

treaty  with .  12 

See  Hunkpapa  Sioux;  Teton  Sioux. 

Sioux  songs,  analysis  of . 16-26 

Sitting  Crow — 

flageolet  discussed  by . 10-11 

information  furnished  by .  109 

Sitting  Rabbit— 

information  furnished  by .  97 

songs  recorded  by .  52, 107, 125, 126, 129 

Skulls  of  chiefs,  beneficent  influence  of  . . .  38 

Skunk,  song  of  the .  93 

Skunk  SociETY- 

age  of  members  of .  94 

song  of .  95 

Slovak  songs,  reference  to .  22 

Snake,  song  of .  73 

Societies— 

boy’s  admission  to .  110 

Hidatsa,  list  of . xix-xx 

Mandan,  list  of .  xix 

men’s .  108-144 

women’s .  94-10? 

Soldier  Society— 

facial  painting  of .  9 

war  pipe  of .  9 

Songs— 

as  personal  possessions . 53, 54 

beginning  and  ending  of .  27 

characteristics  of . 14,32,33 

connected  with  eagle  catching .  32, 70-80 

from  supernatural  beings .  l2 

of  Buffalo  Society .  33 


Songs — Continued.  Page. 

of  Dog  Society .  33 

of  Fox  Society .  33 

of  Goose  Women  Society . 42-46 

of  Horse  Society .  143-144 

of  legends  and  folk  tales .  32 

of  Mandan  women’s  societies .  32 

of  societies  organized  by  Good  Fur  Robe.  32 

of  Spirit  Women .  100-105 

of  Stone  Hammer  Society .  33 

of  the  gardens .  32 

purchase  of .  no 

society,  classes  of .  112 

Spider  Woman,  mention  of .  41 

Spirit  Women — 

songs  of . : .  100-105 

story  of. .  97-99 

Squash,  drying  of .  4 

Standley,  Paul  C.,  acknowledgment  to _  64 

Stars,  used  in  decoration .  115-116 

Stealing  Raids  of  Stone  Hammer  Society.  109, 

113-115 

Stone  Hammer  Society— 

age  of  members .  113 

an  Hidatsa  age  society .  108 

derivation  of  the  name .  108 

food  stolen  by .  109,110 

Hidatsa  name  for .  113 

not  found  among  Mandan .  113 

purchase  of  membership  in .  113 

purpose  of .  113 

raid  of. . 113-115 

songs  of .  116-121 

wand  of . 115-116 

Story-telling — 

payment  for .  64 

time  for .  84 

Structure  of  songs,  tables  showing .. .  22,28,182 

Summary  of  analyses . 31,33 

Supernatural  beings,  songs  received  from.  12 

Supernatural  power,  words  denoting .  36 

Swan,  song  of .  79 

Sweat  lodge — 

of  Old  Dog .  2 

song  when  making .  75 

Swinging  Corn,  a  mythical  woman .  35 

Syncopations,  use  of . 14,31,42 

Terminology,  purpose  of . . .  30 

Teton  Sioux,  as  enemy .  167 

Time,  tables  showing  change  of .  25, 30, 183 

Tonality,  tables  showing .  16, 27, 178 

Tone  material,  table  showing . .  19-20,28,180-181 
Torture,  self-inflicted,  for  success  in  eagle 

catching .  63 

Traditions  of  Black  Mouth  Society .  47,49 

Trance  of  the  Goose  Women . 43,45 

Translations,  erroneous .  108, 109, 147 

Treaties  of  the  Mandan . 11,12 

Turtle  shell,  drums  of .  8 

Turtle,  snapping,  Mandan  name  for .  89 

Turtle  who  went  to  war — 

song  of .  90 

story  of .  89 

Twine,  song  concerning .  80 

United  States,  dealings  of,  with  Mandan 

and  Hidatsa .  11 

Ute  songs,  analysis  of .  16-26 


192 


INDEX 


Page. 

Village,  Mandan,  described .  4-5 

Vocabularies,  Mandan .  6 

Wand  of  Stone  Hammer  SoaETY . 115-116 

War  party— 

organization  of .  144 

song  when  organizing .  146 

War  pipes .  9 

See  Whistles. 

War  songs .  144-170 

characteristics  of .  33 

of  Fox  Society .  122, 124 

Water  Chief — 

a  leading  Mandan . 61, 64 

death  of .  1 

Waterfowl,  as  symbols  of  grain .  41 

Whistles . 9-10,112 

White  Society,  a  Mandan  society .  108 

Widow,  songs  of .  56,57 

Wilkinson,  Mahlon,  report  of,  on  Fort 

Berthold  Indians .  11 

Wilson,  Dr.  Gilbert  L.,  information  fur¬ 
nished  by .  35 

Wolf,  song  given  by .  148, 149 


Page. 

Wolf  Ghost,  song  recorded  by .  152 

Wolf  Head — 

songs  recorded  by .  90, 92, 158, 170, 171 

tales  related  by .  84, 89, 90-91, 92 

Wolverine,  use  of  word,  by  author .  60 

Wolverine,  Little,  song  of .  77 

Women —  f 

game  played  by .  81 

Mandan,  societies  of . 94-107 

work  of .  52 

Wounded  Face— 

a  Mandan  singer .  1 

legend  related  by .  41 

mention  of .  13, 47, 49 

rattle  owned  by .  9 

songs  recorded  by . . .  49, 50, 137, 154, 166 

Yellow  Hair,  the  wife  of  Butterfly .  59 

song  recorded  by .  60 

Young  Dog,  a  Mandan  society .  108 

ceremony  of .  Ill 

gifts  to .  Ill 

song  of .  129 

See  Dog  Society. 


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